Winter Study 2016

WINTER STUDY PROGRAM

REMINDERS ABOUT WSP REGISTRATION

All students who will be on campus during the 2015-2016 academic year must register for WSP. Registration will take place in the early part of fall semester. If you are registered for a senior thesis in the fall which must be continued through Winter Study by departmental rules, you will be registered for your Winter Study Project automatically. In every other case, you must complete registration. First-year students are required to participate in a Winter Study that will take place on campus; they are not allowed to do 99's.

Even if you plan to take a 99, or the instructor of your first choice accepts you during the registration period, there are many things that can happen between registration and the beginning of Winter Study to upset your first choice, so you must list five choices. You should try to make one of your choices a project with a larger enrollment, not that it will guarantee you a project, but it will increase your chances.

If you think your time may be restricted in any way (ski meets, interviews, etc.), clear these restrictions with the instructor before signing up for his/her project. Remember, for cross-listed projects, you should sign up for the subject you want to appear on your record. For many beginning language courses, you are required to take the WSP Sustaining Program in addition to your regular project. You will be automatically enrolled in this Sustaining Program, so no one should list this as a choice. The grade of honors is reserved for outstanding or exceptional work. Individual instructors may specify minimum standards for the grade, but normally, fewer than one out of ten students will qualify. A grade of pass means the student has performed satisfactorily. A grade of perfunctory pass signifies that a student's work has been significantly lacking but is just adequate to deserve a pass. If you have any questions about a project, see the instructor before you register. Finally, all work for WSP must be completed and submitted to the instructor no later than January 28, 2016. Only the Dean can grant an extension beyond this date.

WINTER STUDY 99'S

Sophomores, juniors and seniors are eligible to propose "99's," independent projects arranged with faculty sponsors, conducted in lieu of regular Winter Study courses. Perhaps you have encountered an interesting idea in one of your courses which you would like to study in more depth, or you may have an interest not covered in the regular curriculum. In recent years students have undertaken in-depth studies of particular literary works, interned in government offices, assisted in foreign and domestic medical clinics, conducted field work in economics in developing countries, and given performances illustrating the history of American dance. Although some 99's involve travel away from campus, there are many opportunities to pursue intellectual or artistic goals here in Williamstown.

99 Financing: There are no college funds to support 99 projects other than those provided to financial aid students. Reimbursements are provided between 10-100% of the proposed costs, no more than $500, based on the student's level of financial need. Students receive notification of the percentage of their eligibility in late September.

99 forms are available online: http://www.williams.edu/Registrar/winterstudy/99direct.html

The deadline for submitting the proposals to faculty sponsors is October 1, 2015.

AFR 10 Du Bois and Souls of Black Folk (Same as HIST 10)
See under HIST for full description

AFR 11 Performing Blackness
This course is about performances of blackness in society. The term "perform" may uncover many meanings as students explore dramatic, cultural, social, and other performances of race. The course will primarily offer students the rare opportunity to practice physical techniques of performance that better help
them embody, query and critique portrayals of blackness in society. The course will meet twice a week in
a studio at the '62 Center. Classes will combine performance exercises, analysis of performance, and discussion of key ideas from readings and audiovisual materials. This course may also draw on key resources at Williams College such as collaborations with WCMA and performance faculty on campus. The
cost for the student is only the cost of a course packet.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: performances, performance report, class discussion
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: other AFR courses, class year
COST PER STUDENT: $90
MEETING TIME: Twice a week, Directing Studio in the '62 Center
INSTRUCTOR: Rashida K. Braggs

AFR 14 African Cities and Fiction (Same as GBST 14 and HIST 14)
See under HIST for full description

AFR 30 Senior Project
To be taken by students registered for Africana Studies 491 who are candidates for honors.

AMERICAN STUDIES

AMST 10 Digital Storytelling
From Story Corps to short-form self-curated stories on Vine and YouTube, digital technology is changing
how people tell and share personal stories. This class explores the evolving methods available for digital
storytelling and considers how changes in technology are shaping the types of stories people tell. Students will be expected to create several short digital stories using different platforms.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 2 final projects
PREREQUISITES: none.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: application
COST PER STUDENT: none.
MEETING TIME: mornings--MTR 10-12 plus additional time for hands-on technology instruction
INSTRUCTOR: Anne Valk

Annie Valk is a teacher, historian, and advocate of community-based learning in the arts and humanities.
At Williams, she coordinates Claiming Williams Day, a series of interactive events about building and sustaining a more inclusive community. Through the Center for Learning in Action, she works with students
and faculty on arts and humanities projects that emphasize experiential learning and community-campus
connections. Her expertise includes oral history projects, exhibits and other programs and she has published extensively on topics related to women's history and public history.

AMST 13 Germs, Aliens, and Zombies: Imagining Apocalypse in Film and Literature (Same as
ANTH 13 and WGSS 13)
See under ANTH for full description

AMST 15 A Poetic Friendship: Amiri Baraka and Edward Dorn (Same as ENGL 22)
Amiri Baraka (formerly LeRoi Jones; 1934-2014) and Edward Dorn (1929-1999) are two major experimental American poets who, despite having very different backgrounds--Baraka was born into a black
middle-class family in Newark, New Jersey, and Dorn into a white working-class family in rural Illinois--were linked by both personal ties of affection and professional and collegial bonds. Baraka first reached
out to Dorn by letter in 1959 and went on to publish Dorn--first book of poetry. The period of their most
intense friendship, 1959-1965, occurred in the aftermath and midst of various poetic movements: Black
Mountain, Beats, and New York School, among others. Baraka eventually broke from the downtown NYC
white avant-garde poetry scene to start the Black Arts movement, but he and Dorn maintained their
friendship for decades. The two shared progressive politics and wrote experimental poetry that commented on American society, capitalism, and politics, yet today Dorn is embraced by the poetic avant-garde, overwhelmingly white, while Baraka remains a problematic figure for them. Why the divergence in
their reception? We will read Dorn's and Baraka's poetry and the letters between them. Course requirements include a few short responses and a final project that can be an analytical paper or a creative project.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Course requirements include a few short responses and a final project that
can be an analytical paper or a creative project.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
COST PER STUDENT: $300
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Dorothy Wang

AMST 16 Contemporary American Songwriting (Same as MUS 15)
See under MUS for full description

AMST 17 Eyewitness to the Civil Rights Movement: Mississippi 1964-'65 (Same as HIST 17)
See under HIST for full description

AMST 30 Senior Honors Project
To be taken by students registered for American Studies 491 or 492.

ANTHROPOLOGY/SOCIOLOGY

ANTHROPOLOGY

ANTH 13 Germs, Aliens, and Zombies: Imagining Apocalypse in Film and Literature (Same as
AMST 13 and WGSS 13)
Whether you're reading World War Z or watching the Hunger Games or Battlestar Galactica, you're likely
to hear characters arguing about what the purpose of society is (or was) in the lulls between preparing for
zombie attacks, Cylon invasions, or violent state rituals. Society as we know it may have ended, but arguments about society apparently rage on. These fictional members of a post-apocalyptic world share an
obsession with debating the meaning of social ties, even as those ties dissolve, transform, or turn violent.
In this winter study, we will analyze fictional representations of apocalypse using the insights of a discipline that has long debated the definition of society: cultural anthropology. What can an anthropology of
an (imagined) post-apocalypse tell us about our early 21st century world? Why are dystopian and apocalyptic stories so popular right now? How do these fictional tales of epidemics, zombies, cyborgs, and
threats from beyond our galaxy help us imagine our way through contemporary concerns about social,
environmental, and economic change? Over winter study, we'll pair novels and film screenings with classic anthropological reflections on the origins and ends of societies as well as contemporary scholarly
analyses of post-apocalyptic fiction. Texts will include World War Z, Station Eleven, and the Hunger
Games; TV and film will include Interstellar, Invasion of the Bodysnatchers. the Walking Dead, the 100,
and Battlestar Galactica. For our final week, students will vote on additional texts and films to present and
discuss.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Response papers, final project (paper+presentation)
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 19
METHOD OF SELECTION: 19
COST PER STUDENT: none
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Julia Kowalski

Julia Kowalski is a cultural anthropologist whose research focuses on how family, gender, and law intersect with social transformation in India and in the United States.

ANTH 14 The role of Epidemiology in Public Health and Evidence-Based Medicine (Same as
CHEM 12 and PHLH 14)(CANCELLED)
More and more, clinical decisions are being made on evidence from the medical literature rather than
solely from "experience" of the physician or other health practitioner. What kinds of questions (hypotheses) are being asked, and how are they answered, and answered reliably? How does a conscientious
health professional keep up with this evidence and evaluate it both critically and efficiently? After a brief
introduction to the history and methods of epidemiology, its function in the field (real time epidemic solving) and its role in developing and evaluating different research approaches to answering some of the
more cogent questions involving etiology of disease, treatment, management, and prognosis (natural history), the course will turn to the current medical and public health literature, and discuss individual papers
or groups of papers bearing on important clinical, and public health issues, for example, Caesarian Section as an epidemic, the epidemiology and policy implications of athletic injury, etc. During this latter part
of the course, the class will operate as a Journal Club, with groups of students responsible for presenting
and critiquing the design, conduct and analysis of the paper (s) of the day.
It is expected that some students will suggest issues perceived to be important to them, perhaps from
their own private reading, their personal and/or family health experiences , or from actively shadowing a
practicing physician. (A course offered every year by the pre-med counselor, Jane Cary). While both
courses cannot be taken at the same time, students shadowing a physician may wish to review the literature to delve more deeply into a problem they have seen. They will be welcome to suggest a topic and
join this course on an ad hoc basis to discuss it more thoroughly than may be possible in the hospital or
outpatient setting. Since these students are occupied during the day, we may add evening sessions on
reasonable notice to accommodate their schedules.
From time to time in the course, readings having to do with leadership in the health professions will be
discussed.
This WS course is designed to be a serious academic experience, with the rigor of a regular course. Students will be expected to read and present, and participate actively in the discussion that follows. There
will be a research paper on a subject of mutual agreement between student and instructor.
We will meet three times a week for a total of 6 hours in class. Preparation for class, which will be organized in groups of 3 or 4 is expected to take at least 12 hours per week. The course will be limited to 12
students. Applicants will be interviewed by the instructor. Copying expenses and a text may be estimated
to cost no more than $200.
INSTRUCTOR: Nicholas H .Wright '57, MD, MPH

ANTH 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Anthropology 493-494.

SOCIOLOGY

SOC 12 Community Connections Through Agriculture
In this course students will delve deeply into the community connections around growing, producing, marketing, selling, and consuming food in the vibrant agricultural region of the Berkshires. Through a series
of trips, students will have the opportunity to meet with agricultural suppliers, farmers, bakers, caterers,
restaurant owners, and store managers. These visits will give students comprehensive insight into the
various players, decision makers, and stakeholders in the food economy of this region. Students will be
able to draw on their various academic disciplines of the sciences, communications, economics, and sociology to reflect on what they learn from each business or organization visited. Students will prepare for
each visit by reading materials that are specific to each organization or business visited, and arrive to the
visit with prepared questions.
Readings will include farm business plans, profit and loss statements, product lists, sales data, recipes,
menus, etc. Additional background readings will included excerpts from well known food policy authors
such as Michael Pollan and Amy Cotler. Each visit will be followed by a group discussion and personal
written reflection. Class will meet between 10am and 1pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, and between 10am and 3pm on Thursdays. In addition to the group visits, each student will take the initiative to
arrange 2 personal interviews with a local food or agriculture related organization or business, with the
assistance of the instructor.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Students will be evaluated on their final project; each student will create a
compilation of reflections from each visit, the resulting piece will be a thorough overview of the elements
of the food chain in this region. Additionally students will be asked to submit a paper providing a critical
analysis of the local food chain, focusing on an area of specific academic interest (i.e economic, environmental, etc.) based on their experiences during the class.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: first-years and sophomores will be given priority.
COST PER STUDENT: $100
MEETING TIME: 10AM - 1PM Monday and Tuesday, 10AM - 3PM Thursday
INSTRUCTOR: Suzanna Konecky

Suzy Konecky holds a degree in agriculture from Cornell University and has been working in food and
agriculture for 6 years. She currently works as the Beginning Farmer Program Coordinator and the Raw
Milk Program Coordinator for the Massachusetts Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association.
She also lives and works at Cricket Creek Farm in Williamstown, where she has been the primary liaison
to the community for 4 years.

SOC 13 Humanity 2.0: Humans, Transhumans, Posthumans
This course will invite the students to explore the so-called "transhumanist movement" and its overriding
aim: the realization, through highly speculative technoscientific means, of an enhanced or even postbiological existence; the so-called "posthuman condition," Humanity 2.0.
Students will read primary transhumanist texts and critical scholarship on the movement, and will engage
with related works of science-fiction film and literature. Considerable attention will be devoted to the figure of the cyborg, the so-called "technological singularity," artificial intelligence, mind-uploading, nanotechnology, and cryonic suspension, all of which, like transhumanism broadly, suggest that science and
technology have come to operate as powerful channeling agents for the very sorts of (magical) beliefs,
practices, and forms of (apocalyptic) association and expectation that theorists of secularization expected
modernity to displace. Taking transhumanism as a provocation to think seriously about embodiment, culture, and human being, students will experiment with a technology fast. Students will also be required to
write two short essays.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: two short essays, attendance and active participation
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 18
METHOD OF SELECTION: an email to the instructor as to reasons why s/he wishes to enroll
COST PER STUDENT: $35
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Grant Shoffstall

SOC 31 Senior ThesisTo be taken by students registered for Sociology 493-494.

ARABIC STUDIES

ARAB S.P. Sustaining Program for Arabic 101-102
Students registered for Arabic 101-102 are required to attend and pass the Arabic Sustaining Program.
Prerequisite: Arabic 101.
Evaluation will be based on regular attendance and active participation.
Meeting time: mornings, 9:00-9:50.

ARAB 25 Borderlands, Migration and Indigenous Cultures in Chiapas, Mexico (Same as COMP 26
and RLSP 25)
The course will approach the study of immigration with an intensive week of class on-campus with readings, movies and discussion. Students will acquire a framework from which to understand current migration issues in the US, Mexico and globally and start to develop a positive group dynamic prior to travelling.
Then, the class will take a 10 to 12-day trip with Borderlinks to Chiapas in southern Mexico.
The Borderlinks pedagogical model is based on "dynamic educational experiences that connect divided
communities, raise awareness about the impact of border and immigration policies, and inspire action for
social transformation." Their leaders accompany the delegation at all times.
Students are expected to participate in all the scheduled activities, keep a daily journal and share in daily
reflections. Upon returning, there will be a debriefing and a structured summation on campus in preparation for writing a 10-page paper. METHOD OF EVALUATION: 10-page paper
PREREQUISITES: none. This course is designed for students who wish to better understand international
migration, and who have transnational and multicultural interests.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: personal statements
COST PER STUDENT: $2,600
ITINERARY: In this trip to the southern Mexican state of Chiapas participants will explore current immigration issues and to learn about the work of communities and groups advocating for justice in one of the
poorest states in Mexico. The program includes meetings with fair trade activists and community leaders,
visits to rural communities organizing for sustainability, and talks with human rights organizations. Students will also have the opportunity to learn about Zapatista political philosophy and autonomous education, and the quest for indigenous autonomy in Mexico.
INSTRUCTORS: Amal Eqeiq and Jane Canova

ARAB 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for ARAB 493-494.

ART

ART HISTORY

ARTH 15 Exhibition Design for the Arts of Africa
This course will address methods of creating an effective exhibition space for the arts of Africa. Towards
this end, students will be work with faculty and staff towards realizing the Williams College Museum of
Art's upcoming Spring 2016 exhibition African Art Against the State. Students will be reading foundational
texts on African art and exhibiting non-Western cultures, discussing the issues and politics of these ventures in the context of class meetings, and putting these discussions to practical use in the organization
and representation of objects in an exhibition space. Total course time will be divided between in-class
meetings (averaging 6-8 hours a week), independent group work and discussion oriented around exhibition design, course readings, and one, possibly two, day-long field trips to regional art institutions (TBA)
to view exhibitions on display and speak with museum professionals about curatorial practice.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: exhibition review (2 pages), exhibition design proposal (3 pages), revised
proposal (3 pages), final presentation with exhibition statement (2 pages)
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference given to seniors and/or art history majors
COST PER STUDENT: $100
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Michelle Apotsos

ARTH 16 Mapping the Museum- Intervention and Participation in Contemporary Museum Life(Same as ARTS 15)
Taught by artist Lexa Walsh this hands-on course ties directly into the exhibition that she is conceiving
with her fellow artist-collaborator and brother, Dan Walsh, and which will be in the process of being
installed at WCMA during the winter study period. The exhibition will interrogate and respond to WCMA's
collection through a large-scale experiential, interpretive kiosk--nodding to Rome's Circus Maximus--and will also include a series of oversized stitch samplers that address differing theories of contemporary art. The artists' contradictory practices (Dan, a minimalist abstract painter, Lexa, a socially engaged artist) uncover both conflict and resolution in this work.
In the course, we will look at contemporary artists and institutions working in the practices of participation,
interpretation and institutional critique. We will examine artists such as Andrea Fraser, Fred Wilson, Mark
Dion, Tino Sehgal, The Guerrilla Girls, and Machine Project, as well as institutional initiatives such as
those at Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, Columbus Museum of Art, Walker Art Center, Indianapolis Museum of Art, The Exploratorium, and Portland Art Museum.
The structure of the class includes readings, in-class analysis, a field trip, an in-class visit from Dan
Walsh, and applied exercises in the museum galleries. With knowledge and questions in hand, we will
address WCMA, experimenting with ways to bring the museum to life through the lens of Dan and Lexa
Walsh's exhibition in progress.
We will develop interpretive strategies for chosen works in the collection to be included in the exhibition,
and interpretive and critical responses to not only to those works themselves, but to how we, the artists,
have chosen to interpret and respond to them in our installation. This collaborative process will address
art history, education, analysis, and the possibility of what a 21st century museum can be.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: final project and paper
PREREQUISITES: introduction to Art History or equivalent
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: personal statements of intent
COST PER STUDENT: $50
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Alexandra Walsh

Lexa Walsh is an interdisciplinary artist working with, in and around museums. She and her artist brother
Dan Walsh will be collaborating on an exhibition at WCMA during Winter Session.

ARTH 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for ArtH 494. For requirements of entry into the course, please see
"The Degree with Honors in Art, Art History" in the catalogue or on the Art Department's webpage.
Enrollment limited to 8.
Students need permission of the department to register for this course.
CHAVOYA

ARTH 33 Honors Independent Study
To be taken by candidates for honors by the independent study route.

ART STUDIO

ARTS 10 Observational Drawing From The Natural World (Same as BIOL 10)
See under BIOL for full description

ARTS 11 Audible Imagination: Exploring Sound Across the Arts (Same as RLFR 11)
See under RLFR for full description

ARTS 12 The Figure and Interior Space
The idea of an "interior" or "stage" for the figure(s) will be explored with the intention of integrating the figure into an environment. This environment can reveal as much about our intentions for the painting as
how we construct the figure itself. For example do we want the confrontation of a shallow space, or the
greater narrative potential of a deeper space?
We will look at artists such as Pierre Bonnard, Alex Katz, Alice Neel, Vilhelm Hammershoi, Marlene Dumas, Lucian Freud, Paula Molderson-Becker, Fairfield Porter, Edvard Munch, and Henri Matisse. We will
analyze how they use various spacial configurations in order to imbue the figure with certain characteristics. In our work the image of the figure may dominate the piece, or may be subjugated by the interior/room, or may even have just left the space pregnant with his/her former presence.
While painting may be the primary theater of investigation, we can pursue the combination/intersection of
paint with other 2D and 3D elements (i.e. photographs, cardboard, wax, etc.). The incorporation of various
materials can inform the development of your art process, and also push your own conception of the figure-ground relationship.
All students are critiqued daily on an individual basis. This is a workshop and students may therefore be
working on quite different projects and with different processes. Students can work in any media including
graphic media (drawing, etc.).
Students should come to first class prepared to work even if they only have charcoal and paper. There will
be a materials demonstration the first day of class for those students who are uncertain or unfamiliar with
various painting and graphic medium.
Students are evaluated on the development of their portfolio, and their effort, and participation in individual and group critiques (two group critiques will be held, one half way through class and the other on final
day of class).
Class will conduct field trips to The Clark Museum and to New Haven to visit the Yale UniversityArt Gallery [Yale is OPTIONAL depending on budget availability].
MEETING TIME: mornings
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
COST PER STUDENT: $25
PREREQUISITES: all students are welcome, regardless of their level of experience. The emphasis of the
workshop is more on Experimentation and Process than on Product. Models will be present during most
sessions, for those who desire to work from the live figure.
INSTRUCTOR: JIM PETERS
SPONSOR: AMY PODMORE

Jim Peters, painter/printmaker, holds an MFA from Maryland Institute, College of Art and an MS from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has taught at Rhode Island School of Design and Massachusetts College of Art and Design and exhibits his work at ACA Galleries and Ethan Cohen Fine Arts Gallery
in New York City.

ARTS 13 How to be a Medieval Stone Mason
Students will carve a Gothic stone arch out of a block of Indiana limestone, and in the process learn the
rudiments of medieval stone cutting practice. Step by step, under the guidance of Marcel Mueller, they
will design the arch, along with its profiles and moldings, prepare full-scale templates, and then carve the
entire window from stone, according
to medieval practice using wrought-iron tools. In the process they will learn something of the physical
properties of stone, the use of stone-cutting tools, and the practice of stereotomy (the art of projecting
geometrical forms onto three-dimensional solids). Students will be expected to work 20 hours each week
in the studio.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: students will be evaluated on the basis of their participation and the final
stone arch
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 17
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference given to students with previous experience in stone cutting, next
to freshmen
COST PER STUDENT: $300
MEETING TIME: sculpture studio from 10 to 12:00 a.m.; 1 to 3:00 p.m. weekdays
INSTRUCTOR: Marcel Mueller

Marcel Mueller is a professional stone mason who has carved ornament and Gothic tracery on monuments throughout Europe.

ARTS 14 Dioramas!
How can you create a work of art that blurs the line between the 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional? This
is an assemblage class focusing on material exploration. Students will begin with an image (a
photograph or their own drawing/painting) and recreate it in three dimensions. From there students will
design their own assemblage or diorama pieces, with emphasis placed on working with unusual materials
(such as found objects, plastics, or textiles) and capturing materials with wood and metal. Basic woodworking and metalsmithing techniques will be covered, as well as methods for working with paint, image
transfer, fabric, and paper. Students are expected to work at least 15 hours per week in the studio outside of class, and participate in an exhibition of work at the end of winter study.
(Note: Due to the nature of working with hand tools, most work will be fairly small in scale.)
METHOD OF EVALUATION: participation in class, quality of work, final project
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference to Art majors
COST PER STUDENT: $75
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Audrey Bell

Audrey Bell ('10) has a BA in Studio Art and Anthropology from Williams College. She recently completed
the Core Fellowship at Penland School of Crafts, where she focused in woodworking and metalsmithing.
She currently lives and works in Penland, NC.

ARTS 15 Mapping the Museum- Intervention and Participation in Contemporary Museum Life(Same as ARTH 16)
See under ARTH 16 for full description

ARTS 16 Maghrebin Film: From Independence to the Arab Spring (Same as RLFR 15) (CANCELLED)See under RLFR for full description

ARTS 17 Glass and Glassblowing (Same as CHEM 16)See under CHEM for full description

ARTS 18 Stories and Pictures (and Trailers and Posters) (Same as ENGL 18)
See under ENGL for full description

ARTS 20 Writing Art (Same as ENGL 20)
See under ENGL for full description

ASST 11 Crisis: China and Korea (Same as HIST 11)
See under HIST for full description

ASST 12 The East is Red?-Socialism in Asia (Same as HIST 12 and PSCI 10)
This course provides a historical and political overview of socialism in Asia from the 1910s to the present.
It examines the spread and influence of Marxism in Asia, the polices of socialist states and movements in
relation to decolonization, the Cold War, and the Sino-Soviet split, and the marriage between market reforms and ostensibly socialist governments in the present day. In addition to looking at the socialist governments of China, Mongolia, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, we will examine cases of "unsuccessful" socialist movements in Japan, Indonesia, Nepal, and India. Class materials include memoirs
of survival by non-state actors, the writings of socialist leaders (Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh, M.N. Roy,
etc), and cultural constructions such as revolutionary theatre, songs, and contemporary films. We will also
engage secondary scholarship that deals with Asian approaches to modernity, the use of revolutionary
and state violence, and gender relations under socialism. Questions that will be addressed include: Why
did Marxism, a Eurocentric theory of revolution intended for advanced capitalist societies, find such resonance in Asia? How was Marxism adapted for an Asian environment? Twenty-five years after the fall of
communism, why have Asian socialist states remained in power? And in the scales of history, how should
we judge the effects of socialism in Asia?
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluation will be based on leading one class discussion, an 8-10 page research paper, and a class journal. Attendance and participation will also be taken into account.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: Preference will be given to students majoring in the fields of Asian Studies,
History, or Political Science
COST PER STUDENT: $25
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: John Knight

John Knight is a Ph.D. candidate in East Asian History with a focus on modern China during the Republican and Mao periods. He has previously taught East Asian and World History at Ohio State University,
Capital University, and Seton Hall.

ASST 18 Feng Shui: Space in Theory and Practice (Same as HIST 18)
See under HIST for full description

CHINESE

CHIN S.P. Sustaining Program for Chinese
Students registered for Chinese 101-102 are required to attend and pass the Chinese Sustaining Program.
Evaluation will be based on regular attendance and active participation.
Prerequisite: Chinese 101.
Meeting time: MTR 9:00-9:50.
Cost to student: one Xerox packet.
LANGUAGE FELLOWS

CHIN 13 Tai Chi
This class will introduce to students the basic movements of Yang-style Tai Chi and the auxiliary qigong
skills, two popular forms of physical exercise in China. Students will also learn the history of the development of Tai Chi and the Chinese cultural values embedded in it. Through assigned readings and multimedia information, this course will provide students the tools for self-studying new movements and practicing those learned in class. We will meet 3 times each week for two-hour sessions and attendance to each
class is required. Students will also write a 500-word essay that demonstrates their understanding of the
cultural aspects of Tai Chi. Evaluation will be based on attendance, effort in class, and a final performance
that shows students can complete all learned movements with precision and coherence.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation will be based on attendance, effort in class, and a final performance
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference will be given to seniors and juniors
COST PER STUDENT: none
MEETING TIME: MF 10-12, W 2-4INSTRUCTOR: Youlin Shi

Youlin Shi has been teaching Taichi for twenty years. She is an adjunct faculty in the Department of Physical Education at MCLA and teaches Tai Chi classes in North Adams, Adams, and Williamstown.

CHIN 14 Chinese for Tourists
This course is designed for students who have zero background in Chinese language. It introduces the
pronunciation of Mandarin and some practical phrases that are useful for a tourist in Mandarin-speaking
areas (such as Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc.). The course adopts a commercially
published phrasebook as the main textbook but uses the Performed Culture teaching approach that completely immerses the learner in the Chinese language and culture. Students will learn to use ready-made
phrases in culturally appropriate ways for situations such as greeting, meeting people, buying a ticket,
booking a hotel, eating out, bargaining, etc.. Other course readings include books, articles, and videos on
Chinese cultural codes and etiquette. The basics of the Chinese writing system will also be introduced.
The course meets 2 hours a day, 3 days a week (M, W, F 10 a.m.-12 p.m.). Students should expect to
work 2 to 3 hours everyday outside of class for prep, homework, readings, or film viewing. Students are
also expected to attend at least once per week the Chinese Language Table in the dining hall.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: daily quizzes, class attendance and performance, final oral and written tests
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: priority is given to students who have no prior background in Chinese language/culture, freshmen are also given priority
COST PER STUDENT: $50 for books
MEETING TIME: mornings; MWF 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
INSTRUCTOR: Li Yu

CHIN 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by all students who are candidates for honors in Chinese.

JAPANESE

JAPN S.P. Sustaining Program for Japanese
Students registered for Japanese 101-102 are required to attend and pass the Japanese Sustaining Program.
Evaluation will be based on regular attendance and active participation.
Prerequisite: Japanese 101.
Meeting time: MTR 9:00-9:50.
Cost to student: one Xerox packet.
JINHWA CHANG

JAPN 10 Encountering The Tale of Genji-1000 Years Later
The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu, a lady who served in the imperial court, is considered by some to
be the world's first novel. Kawabata Yasunari called it "the highest pinnacle of Japanese literature," in his
1968 Nobel acceptance speech. The year 2008 marked the millennium celebration since the novel's dissemination is confirmed in a diary entry by the author. Consisting of 54 chapters, The Tale of Genji spans
three generations, depicts intricate human relations, psychology, pathos, love, death, and jealousy; it has
influenced and bequeathed traces of itself to later genres of Japanese literature, culture, esthetics, and
arts. Over 1000 years later, and over 10,000 km away, winter study provides us a great opportunity to dive
into this monumental work. We will explore its relevance to our lives, and the scope of its lasting influence,
evidenced by translations in several languages, modern Japanese adaptations, films, anime, comic
books, TV programs, and numerous theatre productions, both traditional and modern.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation for this course is based on a complete reading of the tale, class
participation, oral presentations on some chapters, and a final essay, about five pages long, in response
to the tale in its entirety
PREREQUISITES: none. Materials and discussions will be in English (unless you choose otherwise via
consultation with the instructor).
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference will be given to more senior students
COST PER STUDENT: $30-$50
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Shinko Kagaya

JAPN 11 The Samurai in Japanese Film
Some of the finest films ever crafted and celebrated in cinematic history have projected the lives and legends of the samurai. Like the gunfighter and cowboy of the American West, the samurai is an extraordinarily iconic figure, if not, an enduring expression of a distinct Japanese ethos. This course will examine
the samurai genre, the formulation of the samurai character, the code of Bushido he lived by, and the multiple roles he has assumed in Japanese filmmaking. Whether as a warrior or loyal retainer to his lord, a
symbol of purity of purpose or tragic sacrifice, the samurai has usually been apotheosized as a noble, revered hero. Why? Notwithstanding this image, the films in this course will trace the rise and fall of the
samurai class, the tangled legacies of its demise, and ultimate disappearance at the end of the Shogunate era, when Samurai cut their top knots before the turn of the twentieth century, and put up their
swords for good.
The focus of this class will be on the films of Kurasawa and Kobayashi. Class attendance and participation is mandatory. METHOD OF EVALUATION: Students will write short papers, 3-5 pages after each
screening.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 25
METHOD OF SELECTION: upper classmen will be given priority
COST PER STUDENT: $25
MEETING TIME: afternoons; MWF, 1-3.
INSTRUCTOR: Frank Stewart

From 1990-2004 Frank Stewart was an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at Hiroshima Shudo
University in Hiroshima, Japan. He lived a short distance from Heiwa Koen, the Peace Park, the epi-center of where the A-bomb was detonated.

JAPN 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by all students who are candidates for honors in Japanese.

ASTRONOMY/ASTROPHYSICS

ASTRONOMY

ASTR 12 Mars (and now, Pluto)!-A Passion for Planets (Same as GEOS 11)
This course, meant for non-majors, will deal with scientific, historical, and literary aspects of the planets Mars and Pluto. We will look at how the exploration of Mars and Pluto challenged the preconceptions of scientists and the public alike, and shattered paradigms.
It will be based on the content of the instructor's book A Passion for Mars: Intrepid Explorers of the Red Planet (2008), and also, on his experiences participating in NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto in 2015.
Mars: Dreamers and space scientists, engineers and biologists, backyard astronomers and artists have devoted their lives-sometimes at the expense of their careers-to the quest for Mars. Over half a century, they have transformed the Red Planet from a projection of our wildest fantasies into an even more amazing real place of spectacular landscapes, beguiling mysteries, and fantastic possibilities-as an abode for life, and even as a second home for humanity. In A Passion for Mars, Andrew Chaikin, who covered Mars exploration as a science journalist and took part in the first Mars landing, chronicled this epic quest and the enduring dream of going there.
Pluto: In 2015, NASA’s New Horizons mission gave humans their first close-up look at the much maligned “ninth planet” Pluto. Andrew Chaikin participated in the mission and is now writing a book about the adventure. In this course we will discuss Pluto’s controversial demotion from planetary status by the International Astronomical Union, as well as the incredible scientific discoveries that have been made about this distant, icy world by the New Horizons mission. We will also consider the possibility that there may be thousands planets in our solar system—many of them possibly like Pluto—instead of the 8 planets recognized by the International Astronomical Union.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 10. If overenrolled, selection will be on the basis of emailed student
description of experience or interest in the topic. Meeting time: two 2.5-hour classes per week one additional 2-hour session per week for Mars-related
videos.
ANDREW CHAIKIN (Instructor)
PASACHOFF (Sponsor)

Andrew Chaikin is the author of numerous books and articles on space exploration. His book A Man on
the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts (1994) has been called the definitive account of the
Apollo missions. Chaikin is a commentator for National Public Radio's Morning Edition, and is an advisor
to NASA on space policy and public communications. While studying geology at Brown University, he participated in the Viking 1 Mars landing. A former editor of Sky and Telescope magazine, he has written
about astronomy and space exploration for three decades.

ASTR 31 Senior Research
To be taken by students registered for Astronomy 493, 494.

ASTROPHYSICS

ASPH 31 Senior Research
To be taken by students registered for ASPH 493, 494.

BIOLOGY

BIOL 10 Observational Drawing From The Natural World (Same as ARTS 10)
This is a drawing and watercolor course for students interested in developing their skills in observing and
drawing from nature. Much of the class work will deal with drawing directly from plant forms and specimens from the animal world and to this end we will be using an interesting collection of stuffed mounts
and skeletons that belong to the Williams Biology department. There will also be an emphasis on the use
of watercolor. Beyond the subject matter at hand, assignments will also address and analyze the more
formal aspects of drawing and two-dimensional design with outside assignments including mandatory
and scheduled visits to the WCMA study collection the Chapin Library of Rare Books and the New York
State Museum in Albany. METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluation will be based on both the completion of
in-class work and outside assignments, with a focus on the depiction of content, level of effort, and development of the work. Evidence of technical and skill development as well as attendance and participation
will also be taken into consideration. There will be a considerable amount of scheduled time outside of
regular class meetings for additional assignments so be prepared to commit to the necessary amount of
time. Review of work at the final class meeting is required. Ongoing individual critiques, a final project and
final review.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: Biology and Art Majors first and then seniority
COST PER STUDENT: $100
MEETING TIME: TWR afternoons, some mornings.
INSTRUCTOR: John Recco

John Recco lives and works in Hoosick, NY and holds an MFA from Columbia University. He has taught at
a variety of institutions including Bennington College and Williams. He is the recipient of numerous
awards including a Fulbright, fellowships at Yaddo, The Millay Colony, The European Cultural Centre of
Delphi, Greece and a NYSCA Individual Artist Grant. His work is included in two recent publications; 100
Boston Painters published by Schiffer Publishing and Galvanized Truth: A Tribute to George Nick, By:
Kimberlee C. Alemian.

BIOL 11 BioEYES Teaching 4th Grade about Zebrafish
BioEYES brings tropical fish to 4th grade classrooms in Williamstown and Greylock Elementary schools,
in a science teaching workshop. Elementary school students will breed fish in the classroom, then study
their development and pigmentation during one week. Williams students will adapt BioEYES lesson plans
to the science curriculum for the schools we visit, work with classroom teachers to introduce concepts in
genetics and development, help the 4th grade students in the classroom, and assess elementary student
learning. A final eight-page paper describing the goals and outcomes for each grade level is required. No
zebrafish experience is necessary; during the first week students will learn to set up fish matings, and
learn about embryonic development and the genetics of fish pigmentation as well as practice teaching the
4th grade BioEYES lesson plans with hands-on experiments using living animals. In the subsequent two
weeks we will work at the schools, and in the final week, students will write up the assessment data.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 8-page paper
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 14
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference to seniors
COST PER STUDENT: 0
MEETING TIME: other; varies depending on needs of schools and laboratory requirements
EXPLANATION OF MEETING TIME:
INSTRUCTOR Jennifer Swoap

Jennifer Swoap, an elementary school teacher, currently coordinates Williams Elementary Outreach,
where Williams students teach hands-on science lessons at area elementary schools.

BIOL 12 New Orleans-Style Jazz and Street Performance
This course has a focus on making music based on the principles of improvisation and street performance
embodied by New Orleans-Style jazz. Typically composed of brass instruments, this course welcomes
musicians and performers of all types, from the classically trained to those with no experience who are
willing to play washboards, kazoos, and experiment with other forms of sound-making. For when you
travel the world after Williams, this course will prepare you to "busk," or make money playing music on the
street, where some of the most dynamic forms of jazz and improvisation have been created. The course
will include various street performances and culminate in a "gig" at a local music venue.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluation will be based on class attendance and participation in the final
project which will be in the form of a performance.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: selection will occur as follows: seniors, juniors, sophmores, freshmen
COST PER STUDENT: $4
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Andrew Kelly
SPONSOR: SWOAP

Andrew Kelly, class of 1980, is a performing and teaching jazz musician. He is bandleader of The Sister
City Jazz Ambassadors, who have toured Cuba, Turkey, Nicaragua, Italy, Ireland, as well as extensively in
the Northeastern USA. Andrew's mission is to use music to break down barriers of all types!

BIOL 13 Introduction to Animal Tracking
This course is an introduction to the ancient art and science of animal tracking, and its use for ecological
inventory. Participants will deepen their skills as naturalists, their awareness of the natural world, and discover that even the greens at Williams College are abundant with wildlife. Students will have field time in
class at Hopkins Forest as well as through independent study at a convenient outdoor location of each
student's choosing. Basic concepts of animal tracking, its history and use by indigenous people throughout the world will be discussed through video and slide show. Students are required to create journals and
site maps of Hopkins and their personal study areas, including all major features of the landscape, flora
and fauna activity. There will be required reading assignments in the field guides for this class as well as a
thousand word final research paper on one of the mammals present in their study area.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluation will be based on attendance, participation a final presentation of
their maps and journals, with attention to detail and content and the research paper.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
COST: $170.00 Students are expected to have appropriate outdoor gear for winter conditions.
MEETING TIME: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., twice a week for four hour sessions, primarily in the field. Students are
also required to do extensive independent field study, demonstrating observations through journals and
site maps.
ADJUNCT INSTRUCTOR: DAN YACOBELLIS (miye_yelo@yahoo.com)
Sponsor: SWOAP

Dan Yacobellis is a local naturalist and wildlife tracker who has explored forest and field for the last 20
years. He teaches courses on wilderness skills and tracking at nature education centers in Massachusetts
and New York.

BIOL 15 Documenting Stories of Escape and Survival (Same as HIST 15)
Between 1940 and 1945, the Baltic nation of Estonia lost 25% of its population to execution, deportation
to Siberian labor camps, imprisonment and conscription into the occupying German and Soviet armies.
An additional 70,000 people fled the country in desperation to save their lives, and some of those are still
alive and living on the East Coast of the US. Students in this class will contribute to an ongoing international project to collect and share stories about Estonians' experience under both German and Soviet occupation and the crimes against humanity committed by these totalitarian regimes during and after WW
II. In collaboration with the Unitas Foundation, based in Estonia, students will interview members of the
Estonian diaspora and create short films for the digital database of video stories established by Unitas
and archived at Stanford University. Through documentary films and readings, we will spend the first
week of WS learning about the history of this remarkable country's fight for self-determination, and the
non-violent "Singing Revolution" that brought the Estonians their freedom and contributed to the collapse
of the Soviet Union in 1989. In week 2, along with training in film editing, we will explore the goals of oral
history and the process of creating narrative through documentary film before traveling to New York City
and Baltimore/DC on Jan. 15-19 for four days of professionally filmed interviewing. While in DC, we will
be hosted by the Estonian ambassador to the US, and will interview him at the Estonian Embassy. Upon
our return to Williamstown, each student will edit his or her interview to produce a final 10-minute film for
the "Kogu me lugu" ("Collect our stories") web-based collection.
Readings will include approximately 100 pages of essays and memoirs, as well as one short story, one
novel, and short excerpts from a second novel. Additional time outside of class may be required to complete the editing process and to view short film clips.
Readings:
Anne Applebaum, "The Worst of the Madness" NY Review of Books (11/11/2010)
Selected essays from "Carrying Linda's Stones" (Susan Stiever Lie, Lynda Malik, Ilvi Joe-Cannon, Ruth
Hinrikus, ed.)
Jaan Kross, "Lead Piping" (short story)
Sofi Oksanen, "When the Doves Disappeared" (novel)
Excerpts from Anthony Doerr, "All the Light We Cannot See" (novel)
METHOD OF EVALUATION: final project=edited short film, suitable quality for distribution on the Unitas
website and use in educational settings
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 8
METHOD OF SELECTION: Written explanation of interest and/or interview
COST PER STUDENT: $500
MEETING TIME: mornings; MWF 10 AM-1 PM. Mandatory field trip Jan. 15-19 to NYC and Baltimore/DC; students will stay with Williams alumni in both cities.
INSTRUCTORS: Lois Banta, Jim Tusty and Maureen Castle Tusty

James Tusty and Maureen Castle Tusty are a husband and wife filmmaking team. They founded, owned
and operated a private communications firm called Mountain View Group, Ltd. , which served some of the
largest international corporations in the world, such as GE, Coca-Cola, Home Depot, and IBM. In 2008,
they sold Mountain View Group and opened Sky Films Incorporated (SFI), a production company dedicated to documentary films. Their first release, "The Singing Revolution," played in 125 North American
theatrical markets and was one of the most successful feature documentaries of 2008. The New York
Times wrote of the film, "Imagine the scene in Casablanca in which the French patrons sing 'La Marseillaise' in defiance of the Germans, then multiply its power by a factor of thousands, and you've only begun
to imagine the force of The Singing Revolution." The couple recently released a second documentary, "To
Breathe as One," about the 30,000 singers and 100,000 audience members who come together once every five years for the Estonian Song Festival, and the integral role this festival has played in maintaining
strength and national identity for a people who have faced cultural genocide multiple times in the last 150
years.

BIOL 16 Organ Transplantation: From Bioethics to Bioengineering (Same as PHIL 16)
See under PHIL for full description

BIOL 22 Introduction to Biological Research
Students in BIOL 022 will work on an experimental research project in the laboratory of a member of the Biology Department. Students can expect to spend a minimum of 20 hours per week in the lab or as determined per instructor. Maintaining a lab notebook and a 10-page lab report is required. This experience is primarily intended for, but not limited to, first-year students and sophomores. Enrollment requires the permission of the instructor and coordinator. To find out which laboratories are open for BIOL 022 Winter Research please contact the course coordinator.
Coordinator: Benjamin Carone
Prerequisites: Biology 101. Enrollment limit: 15.
Meeting time: mornings.
Cost to student: none

BIOL 25 Sustainable Agriculture in California (Same as ENVI 25)
See under ENVI for full description

BIOL 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Biology 493, 494.

CHEMISTRY

CHEM 10 Storytelling with Animation
This course will explore the art of storytelling through the use of technology and workflows associated
with writing and producing animations. Class time will consist of lecture, critique of student work, critique
of outside work, and hands-on instruction. Students will produce and present scripts, storyboards, and
production plans. Many short projects will be assigned to explore techniques covered in class. The final
product of the course will be an animation of less than 5 minutes that will be publicly screened on campus.
The primary software used will include Adobe Flash, Adobe Premiere, Adobe Photoshop, and Audacity.
This course is drawing intensive, but only basic drawing skills are necessary.
We will meet for 3, two-hour sessions each week (lecture and workshop) with an additional required research and production time (minimum of 6 hours/week with additional time required to complete assignments.)
METHOD OF EVALUATION: attendance, class participation, completion of assignments, and final project
PREREQUISITES: interest in animation and comfort with drawing/sketching
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: students will be asked to submit a drawing and short statement of interest
COST PER STUDENT: 0
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Trevor Murphy

Trevor Murphy is an Instructional Technology Specialist at the Office for Information Technology at Williams College.

CHEM 11 Science for Kids (Same as SPEC 11)(CANCELLED)
Are you interested in teaching? Do you enjoy working with kids? Do you like to experiment with new
things? Here is a chance for you to do all three! The aim of this Winter Study Project is to design a series
of hands-on science workshops for elementary school children and their parents. Working in teams of
2-4, students spend the first two and a half weeks of Winter Study planning the workshops. This involves
deciding on a focus for each workshop (based on the interests of the students involved) followed by
choosing and designing experiments and presentations that will be suitable for fourth-grade children. On
the third weekend of Winter Study (January 23, 24) we bring elementary school kids with their parents to
Williams to participate in the workshops.
You get a chance to see what goes into planning classroom demonstrations as well as a sense of what
it's like to actually give a presentation. You find that kids at this age are great fun to work with because
they are interested in just about everything and their enthusiasm is infectious. You also give the kids and
their parents a chance to actually do some fun hands-on science experiments that they may not have
seen before, and you are able to explain simple scientific concepts to them in a manner that won't be intimidating. It is a rewarding experience for all involved.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluation is based on participation in planning and running the workshops.
Each group is expected to prepare a handout with descriptions of the experiments for the kids, parents,
and teachers.
PREREQUISITES: none; you need not be a science major; all that is needed is enthusiasm.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 25
METHOD OF SELECTION: senior, juniors, sophomores
COST PER STUDENT: none
MEETING TIME: other; classes meet three times a week for approximately three hours each session. The
workshop is run on the third weekend of Winter Study (January 23, 24) and attendance from 9:00 a.m. to
3:00 p.m. is mandatory that weekend. There are also one or two brief meetings held in the fall term for
preliminary planning.
INSTRUCTOR: Dieter Bingemann

CHEM 12 The role of Epidemiology in Public Health and Evidence-Based Medicine (Same as
ANTH 14 and PHLH 14)(CANCELLED)
See under ANTH for full description

CHEM 15 The Work of the Supreme Court: A Simulation (Same as JLST 15)
The objective of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the personal, theoretical, and
institutional characteristics that impact the decision making process of the nation's highest court. At the
beginning of the course, the students will be provided with briefs, relevant decisions and other materials
for a case currently pending before the court. Where possible, cases will be selected that address constitutional issues that also have a political and/or historical significance. Past examples include the constitutionality of provisions in the Affordable Care Act, rights of prisoners held in Guantanamo, the extent of
First Amendment rights of students, and the applicability of the State Secrets doctrine to the country's extraordinary rendition program. Four students (two on each side) will be assigned to prepare and present
oral arguments to the "Court", which will consist of the other eight students, each playing the role of a Supreme Court Justice. An instructor will act as the Chief Justice to coordinate the student Justices and
keep them on focus. After the oral argument, the "Court" will confer and prepare majority and minority
opinions, which will be announced in "open court" at the conclusion of the term.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluations will be based on the student's preparation for and performance
of their assigned role, and upon a five-page paper discussing the subjects covered by the course.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: seniority
COST PER STUDENT: $30
MEETING TIME: mornings
NSTRUCTORS: Robert S. Groban, Jr. and Thomas J. Sweeney

CHEM 16 Glass and Glassblowing (Same as ARTS 17)
This course provides an introduction to both a theoretical consideration of the glassy state of matter and
the practical manipulation of glass. We do flameworking with hand torches for at least 12 hours per week.
While no previous experience is required, students with patience, good hand-eye coordination, and creative imagination will find the course most rewarding. The class is open to both artistically and scientifically oriented students.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation is based on class participation, exhibition of glass projects, a
10-page paper, and a presentation to the class
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: : preference is given to juniors, sophomores, and those who express the most
and earliest interest and enthusiasm by e-mail to Professor Thoman
COST PER STUDENT: $75
MEETING TIME: 9:00 a.m. to noon, M-F.
INSTRUCTOR: Jay Thoman

CHEM 17 Combinatorial Organic Chemistry: Distributed Drug Discovery
This course provides an introduction to combinatorial research through the lens of peptide-based drugs,
a class of molecules that has shown promising activity in anti-bacterial and anti-malarial studies. Using
solid phase synthesis, students will generate a library of related and novel compounds. Skills to learn/practice will include standard organic laboratory techniques, combinatorial library design, analytical methods of characterization, literature searching and evaluation, and biochemical assessment of the compounds. Students are expected to attend lab 3 afternoons (T-R, 1-4) and a 1 hour meeting (TBD) each
week. Outside of class time, students will analyze, interpret, and report their data in order to determine
the next course of action. This course is designed as an introduction to research. While we will use organic chemistry techniques, we will focus on the process of research; students with minimal chemistry background are encouraged to enroll.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 10-page paper detailing experimental procedures and results
PREREQUISITES: CHEM 151, 153, or 155
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: mix of students' chemistry background and seniority
COST PER STUDENT: $0
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Sarah Goh

CHEM 18 Introduction to Research in Biochemistry
An independent experimental project in biochemistry is carried out in collaboration with a member of the
Department with expertise in biochemistry. Biochemistry is a branch of chemistry that deals with the molecular details of living systems including the interaction of biologically important molecules. In the Chemistry Department, studies are underway to investigate the structure/function relationship of proteins, the
interaction between proteins and RNA and DNA, and the molecular basis of bacterial gene regulation.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: A 10-page written report is required.
PREREQUISITES: variable, depending on the project (at least CHEM 151) and permission of the Department. Since projects involve work in faculty research labs, interested students must consult with one or
more of the faculty instructors listed below and with the Department Chair before electing this course.
Non-science majors are invited to participate.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: enrollment limited to space in faculty research lab
COST PER STUDENT: none
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Amy Gehring and Asvelt Nduwumwami

CHEM 20 Introduction to Research in Inorganic Chemistry
An independent experimental project in inorganic chemistry is carried out in collaboration with a member
of the Department with expertise in inorganic chemistry. Representative projects include: a) the study of
transition metal catalysts for the syntheses of novel polymeric materials and b) the synthesis of coordination complexes as models of bioinorganic systems. Students will be guided through the fundamentals of
project planning, record keeping and scientific writing. The interdisciplinary nature of the research will expose students to a variety of areas including synthetic inorganic and organic chemistry and characterizations by modern spectroscopic techniques.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: a 10-page written report is required
PREREQUISITES: variable, depending on project but at least CHEM 151 and permission of the Department. Since projects involve work in faculty research labs, interested students must contact the faculty
instructor listed below before electing this course. Non-science majors are invited to participate.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: limited to space in faculty research labs.
COST PER STUDENT: none
MEETING TIME: mornings and afternoons (Monday-Thursday)
INSTRUCTOR: Christopher Goh

CHEM 24 Introduction to Research in Physical Chemistry
An independent experimental project in physical chemistry is carried out in collaboration with a member of
the Department with expertise in physical chemistry. Current research projects in the Department include
computer modeling of non-linear, chaotic chemical and biochemical systems, molecular modeling of water clusters, laser spectroscopy of chlorofluorocarbon substitutes, and observing the dynamics in glasses
using single molecule spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: a 10-page written report is required
PREREQUISITES: variable, depending on the project (at least CHEM 151) and permission of the Department. Since projects involve work in faculty research labs, interested students must consult with one or
more of the faculty instructors listed below and with the Department Chair before electing this course.
Non-science majors are invited to participate.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: limited to space in faculty research lab.
COST PER STUDENT: none
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Enrique Peacock-Lopez

CHEM 31 Senior Research and Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Chemistry 493, 494.

CLASSICS

CLAS 12 Greek Myth and the Modern Cinema
This course will examine the mythic narratives that formed the basis of ancient Greek religion and culture,
especially those concerning cosmological and human origins, epic heroes and trickster figures-for example, Hesiod's Theogony, Homer's Odyssey, and the Homeric Hymn to Hermes. We will explore these narratives by using a variety of theoretical approaches, including psychoanalytic and structural analysis, and by
comparing them to other ancient texts like The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis. In tandem
with this project, we will view and discuss several Hollywood films, such as Star Wars: Episode IV and
The Dark Knight, in order gain to insight into the important similarities and differences between Greek
myths and myths of contemporary American society.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 10-page paper or final creative project developed in consultation with professor
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 30
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference given to Classics, Art History and History majors
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Benjamin Rubin

CLAS 31 Senior Thesis
May be taken by students registered for Classics 493, 494.

COGNITIVE SCIENCE

COGS 31 Senior Thesis
May be taken by students registered for Classics 493, 494.

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE

COMP 11 Historic Bookbinding(CANCELLED)
This course will explore the craft, practice, and history of book making. In addition to outside readings and
in-class discussion, we will visit Chapin Library to examine relevant objects in their collection. While the
course will focus on the mastery of techniques and refinement of hand-skills, we will discuss how these
historic practices can be applied today in conjunction with experimental materials and content. Through
making, we will gain insight into the materiality of the book and its place in history and society.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: final project
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: relationship to course of study
COST PER STUDENT: 85
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Kathleen Barber

Kate Barber has an MFA in Book Arts from the University of Alabama. Her work spans from making historical full leather bindings to creating unique artist's books.

COMP 25 Teaching and Learning in Sweden
We often hear that the broad liberal arts education is one signature of American higher education. What can the world learn from a place like Williams, and what might we learn from a different model of college in another country? The course will take you to Växjö, Sweden for a week, where you will participate in a series of workshops on Sweden's educational system and its cultural context, led by faculty and students at Linnaeus University. The curriculum will include lectures and discussion, films, and tours of area cultural institutions (from the emigration museum to factories to IKEA). And you will already know the Linneaus students and faculty you are studying and socializing with, because in mid-January, before we go to Sweden, we will be bringing them here to Williams for a week, to study the Williams liberal arts education through a series of workshops that you will design and lead to match your own interests. We will plan these workshops during the first week in January, before they arrive. You could schedule a tour of an area museum, read about the history of college architecture, visit area secondary schools, arrange to hear from a Williams staff member you think embodies the college, or do anything else you think will demonstrate what Williams is all about. You will also have a chance to unleash your inner JA and introduce the Swedish students to Williams outside the classroom. Evaluation will be based on your work designing your portion of the Williams seminar, a final 5-page reflection paper, and participation throughout. All classwork will be conducted in English; no foreign language skills or other experience required--just a willingness to learn comparatively by taking both roles: visitor and native, guest and host, teacher and student.
There will be an information meeting on 9/23 from 7:00-8:00PM in Hopkins 002.
PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE
Week 1: Preparation at Williams; Hosting Swedish Students at Williams; Weeks 3-4: Transition and Williams Students in Sweden.
PREREQUISITES: none
METHOD OF EVALUATION: preparation of seminar module, 5-page final reflection paper, participation
throughout
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: statement of interest, then interview
COST PER STUDENT: $1960 ($2085 if a passport is needed)
INSTRUCTORS: Christopher Bolton and Jørgen Bruhn

COMP 26 Borderlands, Migration and Indigenous Cultures in Chiapas, Mexico (Same as ARAB 25
and RLSP 25)
See under ARAB for full description

COMP 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Comparative Literature 493, 494.

COMPUTER SCIENCE

CSCI 12 Stained Glass Tiling
This course combines medieval craftsmanship with contemporary geometry. Each student will build a
piece of stained glass using colored glass tiles that fit together to form two or three-dimensional tiling
patterns. Students will learn how to cut glass; to paint and print on glass with kiln-fired enamels; and to
assemble and solder a stained glass window. Assignments require both artistic decision-making and
practical problem-solving in figuring out ways to support, connect and assemble the tiles into an original
work of art. The course includes a field trip to see hand-painted stained glass in North Adams and southern Vermont. Exhibition of work on the last day of Winter Study is mandatory. Instructional sessions on the
use of tools and safe handling of materials are included where necessary.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: final presentation and exhibition of stained glass panels; attendance; creativity; effort; and teamwork whilst mounting final exhibition
PREREQUISITES: no previous experience in art or geometry is necessary, however, ideal applicants will
have an interest in art or mathematics, patience and good hand skills
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference to seniors and those who express an early or specific interest
COST PER STUDENT: $260 for materials, tools and art supplies
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Debora Coombs

Debora Coombs' stained glass windows are exhibited and commissioned internationally. She is a Fellow
of the British Society of Master Glass Painters with a Masters degree from London's Royal College of Art
and 35 years of experience in the design, fabrication and teaching of stained glass. Contact: (802)
423-5640 debora@coombscriddle.com. Photos: http://www.coombscriddle.com and http://coombscriddle.wordpress.com

CSCI 14 Creating a Roguelike Game
Before World of Warcraft, before Diablo, before the Legend of Zelda and the Nintendo Entertainment System, before fancy graphics cards and computer mice, there were text terminals and there was Rogue.
Created around 1980 by Michael Toy, Ken Arnold, and Glenn Wichman at U.C. Santa Cruz, this wildly
popular video game "wasted more CPU time than anything in history." [Dennis Ritchie] and spawned an
entire genre, known as 'roguelikes'. Roguelikes in the original style are created and played to this day,
and many of the game design concepts and principals that Rogue pioneered can be found in modern
games outside the genre. In this course we'll study (and play) some roguelikes, discuss what does and
doesn't work and why, and work in small teams to design, plan, and code our own. Creating the game will
require a lot of time writing code, but we'll also bring in game design, software design, user experience,
project management, models and tools for collaboration, and various topics and realms related to game
programming (AI, procedural content, complex data structures, persistence, help systems, etc.). In class
students will do exercises, participate in discussions, give presentations, and provide feedback to each
other as well as write code. Outside class students will meet with each other, do various writing assignments, and spend a lot more time coding. By the end each team will have a complete, working game that
showcases their particular interests and goals.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: students will be evaluated on class participation (discussion, presentations,
feedback), individual writing assignments, and the larger team project
PREREQUISITES: completions of CS 136 or equivalent programming experience
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 16
METHOD OF SELECTION: if overenrolled, students will be selected based on programming experience
and expressed interest (writing, call, meeting, etc. all considered)
COST PER STUDENT: 0
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Chris Warren

Chris Warren (Williams '96, Computer Science) is a programmer with extensive web development experience, and is also a serious amateur game designer. He's worked for a couple of dot-coms, taught AP
computer science in Hawaii, supported himself as an independent web developer, and has been working
as a programmer in Williams OIT since 2003. He is a co-founder of a game design group that met weekly
from 2002-2013, and has spent [far too] many hours over the years playing roguelike games.

CSCI 16 Web and Application Development in Meteor
We use web and mobile applications every day, but building them is a daunting task. It doesn't need to be. Over the last few years, it has gotten easier to build web applications, even for people with no previous experience. In this winter study, you will learn how to build those applications.
You’ll be learning using a new curriculum developed in-house that teaches modern best practices. We will be using MeteorJS (http://meteor.com) for teaching, so you’ll get firsthand experience with the latest web development technology. And because we’re a small team, you’ll have significant influence over the the substance and pace of learning of the materials.
Whatever your current level of ability, you will build and deploy multiple modern web applications during this winter study.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: students will be evaluated on class participation (discussion, presentations, feedback) and a final project
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 16
METHOD OF SELECTION: if overenrolled, students will be selected based on expressed interest (writing, call, meeting, etc. all considered)
COST PER STUDENT: 0
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTORS: Ben Cohen and Will Vincent

Ben Cohen ('06) is an experienced software developer (Microsoft, SalesForce) and startup entrepreneur. He was previously based in San Francisco where he founded an education technology startup. Since moving back to Williamstown in 2014 he has co-founded an online payments startup, SimpleSignup.io, and is a partner at HelloMeteor, a web/mobile design firm. Ben majored in Physics at Williams and is actively involved with the Entrepreneurship at Williams program.

Will Vincent has been on the business and technical sides of multiple startups. He was employee number 3 at Quizlet in San Francisco where he grew their userbase by 10x. He left Quizlet to found his own education technology startup, and relocated with his family to Williamstown. Since moving back, he has co-founded an online payments startup, SimpleSignup.io, and is a partner at HelloMeteor, a web/mobile design firm. Will majored in History at William & Mary, and has his MBA from Dartmouth.

CSCI 23 Introduction to Research and Development in Computing
An independent project is completed in collaboration with a member of the Computer Science Department. The projects undertaken will either involve the exploration of a research topic related to the faculty
member's work or the implementation of a software system that will extend the students design and implementation skills. It is expected that the student will spend 20 hours per week working on the project. At
the completion of the project, each student will submit a 10-page written report or the software developed
together with appropriate documentation of its behavior and design. In addition, students will be expected
to give a short presentation or demonstration of their work. Students must consult with the instructor before the beginning of the Winter Study registration period to determine details of projects that might be
undertaken.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Final paper and presentation/demonstration
PREREQUISITES: Permission of instructor
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: none
METHOD OF SELECTION: Preference given to sophomores and juniors
COST: $0
MEETING TIME: TBA
EXPLANATION OF MEETING TIME: TBD
INSTRUCTOR: William Lenhart

CSCI 31 Senior Honor Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Computer Science 493-494.

DANCE

DANC 15 Dance in Creation
This class will give students the opportunity to operate as artists in a dance company. Each class we will
begin with a modern based technique class, followed by the learning of a piece (or pieces) of dance repertory. We will view dance films in a variety of genres, read firsthand accounts of the creation of dances,
write journal entries on our experiences, and present a final showing of our work. One field trip to attend a
live dance performance will be included.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Ongoing assesment of class participation, journal, final project presentation
PREREQUISITES: Students should have a minimum of 2 years experience in a dance genre
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: students who have taken Dance Dept. courses and/or are in Dept. ensembles
will have priority
COST PER STUDENT: $25
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Erica Dankmeyer

Erica Dankmeyer is an Artist in Residence at Williams.

DANC 24 Portrait of an Opera (Same as MUS 24)
See under MUS for full description

ECONOMICS

ECON 10 Introduction to Financial Reporting and Statement Analysis
This course covers the concepts and methods underlying financial statements and the tools to analyze
financial statements effectively as part of the process of evaluating a company's strategic and operating
decisions in the context of its industry. This process is neither superficial nor one-dimensional, as it requires a thorough understanding of accounting principles and frameworks and the ability to identify the
effects of management decisions on financial statements and ratios. Using topical exercises and problems based on current corporate annual reports, we will walk through the fundamentals of financial accounting and financial statements first and then examine the methods and disclosure requirements for
specific transactions that most companies undertake. For example, what are the consequences of Facebook's acquisition of WhatsApp? Or of Verizon's decision to issue up to $50 billion in bonds? In pairs,
each student will complete a project analyzing the current financial statements and ratios of a public company and assess its profitability and risk, focusing on the connections between the company's industry
characteristics, strategic choices and its financial results.
Evaluation will be based on the two-person project culminating in a short class presentation and a paper,
as well as participation in class discussions.
We will meet four times a week (M-Th) for three-hour sessions for the first two weeks with extra time allocated as needed to meetings with each team. Students will complete and submit their project papers during the second part of Winter Study.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Two-person project analyzing a company culminating in a class presentation and a 15-page paper.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: By lottery, though with preference to seniors
COST PER STUDENT: $175
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Virginia Soybel

Ginny Soybel teaches financial accounting and financial statement analysis in the graduate, undergraduate and executive education programs at Babson College. She earned her BA in History and American
Civilization at Williams, and her MBA and PhD at Columbia University, and before joining the Babson College faculty, she taught at the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. She taught Econ 10
during Winter Study 2014

ECON 11 Real Estate Development
The purpose of this course is to provide students with a practical, and as close to real world experience
as possible. The course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the methodology required to develop a new hotel and/or commercial real estate project. Class discussions are designed to
replicate actual business discussions and dynamics. By utilizing the economic factors of the local Williamstown area, students will work in teams of 5 to 7 students to develop an analysis of the conditions that
may, or may not, support new hotel development. Based upon their analysis students will develop strategic business plans and a financial pro forma for their hotel projects. Classes of 3 hours will meet 3 times
per week and will consist of lectures and workshop type formats. Out of class research assignments will
be required. They will consist of visits to local competitive businesses, as well as, conducting internet inquiries and information gathering.
The final assignment for the teams will be to produce classroom presentations of their business plans and
pro forma. Classmates will provide review and critique of the team projects. Each student will also be required to submit a written 3 to 5 page document that supports (or doesn't) the conclusions of their team
project. Students will need to able to demonstrate their grasp of the material covered in class and utilized
on their team projects. Grades will be based on class participation, contributions to team efforts and evaluation of their individual final paper.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Class participation, a student's contribution to team, and final 3 to 5 page
paper
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 21
METHOD OF SELECTION: Priority to Juniors and Seniors
COST PER STUDENT: None
MEETING TIME: Monday afternoon, and Wednesday and Friday mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Bernie English

Bernie English's past career of over 35 years included both hotel management experience as well as specific experience in the development of a wide variety of hotel development projects. He trained hotel managers and developers in the skills that will form the basis of this course. Hotel projects he was involved
with include the Hotel George/ Washington DC, The Rittenhouse Hotel/Philadelphia, Hotel Derek/ Houston, and Sheraton Atlanta, to name a few.

ECON 13 Tools for Evaluating New Business Ideas
Students will work in teams to develop an idea for a new business. They will then work in teams to develop assumptions of the business model that will lead to a successful business start. Using online lectures,
reading, and class discussions, participants will develop tools for testing the assumptions they have made
and revise the business model to reflect the results of their work. The course teaches the Lean Startup
methodology which is the approved curriculum used by the NSF and National Institutes for Health for
commercializing research projects. Teams will work together to present their progress and changes to
their assumptions. There will also be exercises to help participants gain a greater understanding of business financials work. This course is appropriate for anyone who dreams of starting a business and for
students with diverse backgrounds.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: participation in class discussions, class presentations, work within their
team, and written assignments.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: quality of their business idea
COST: none
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Steven Fogel

Steven Fogel has spent the last 24 years helping over 1,000 businesses get started. He has trained as a
Lean Launchpad instructor and used the methodology heavily in his work.

ECON 16 Mechanisms of Arbitrage
Arbitrage is a central concept of economics. This course is an introduction to mechanisms in markets which cause arbitrage to occur, as well as a discussion of factors which limit arbitrage, particularly when mechanisms counteract others. The emphasis will be on markets in public instruments and the firms which issue them as well as on markets e.g. commodities, which overlap with those in public securities. Emphasis will be on distortions caused by agency issues, regulations, venues and intellectual "bucketing". The processes by which these issues are at least partially resolved in current markets will be emphasized, although there will be historical readings and backgrounds in market mechanisms.
Requirements: there will be an average of 100 pages of reading per class provided by the instructor and there will be an expectation of 10-12 pages of papers, typically as 1- to 2-page papers for class.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 25. Priority in inverse order of years remaining to graduation.
Cost: $0.
Meeting time: afternoons
PAUL ISAAC `72 (Instructor)
KUTTNER (Sponsor)

Paul Isaac, Williams Class of `72 and a former Watson fellow, has 35 years of buy side investment experience in a broad range of securities and markets. He is currently Chief Investment Officer of an $3 billion fund of hedge funds as well as an active portfolio manager. He served as Chair of the Security Industry Association's Capital Rules Committee.

ECON 18 Sustainable Business Strategies (Same as ENVI 18)
See under ENVI for full description

ECON 19 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) (Same as POEC 19)
This course examines tax policy towards low-income families in the United States, and has the following
three objectives: 1) For students to understand the shift of redistributive policy in the United States from
income support through the transfer system (Aid to Families with Dependent Children/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) towards support of working individuals through the tax system (primarily the
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC); 2) For students to understand the challenges that low income individuals have "making ends meet" and to understand the role that the EITC has played in increasing the standard of living of the working poor; and 3) To enable students to understand the tax code well enough to
prepare simple income tax returns, including those for filers claiming the EITC. Students will be trained by
the IRS to prepare income tax returns for low-income individuals and families. At the end of the term, students will use their newly acquired expertise to help individuals and families in Berkshire County prepare
and file their returns. Class meetings will involve a mixture of discussion of assigned readings, and exercises that help develop tax preparation skills and understanding of poverty. Assignments outside of class
include: a variety of short readings on tax policy, the challenges of living in poverty in the U.S., and public
policies that address these challenges; completion of an online course in IRS VITA training; and staffing
approximately six hours of tax preparation assistance during the final week of winter term. The volunteer
tax preparation sessions take place in North Adams and are usually Wednesday and Thursday evenings
during the final week of Winter Study, and then Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings after that.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluation is based on the results of the IRS certification test, student work
as tax preparers, and a ten-page analytical and reflective essay.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 14
METHOD OF SELECTION: If overenrolled, students will be selected based on a written statement of interest.
COST PER STUDENT: $100 for texts and coursepack
MEETING TIME: 10:00am-noon, with possible occasional afternoon sessions to accommodate visiting
speakers, plus the volunteer tax preparation sessions discussed in the course description.
INSTRUCTORS: Jon Bakija and Sara LaLumia

ECON 20 Quantitative Equity Analysis(CANCELLED)
This class will introduce students to applied quantitative equity research. We will briefly review the history
and approach of academic research in equity pricing via a reading of selected papers. Students will then
learn the best software tools (R and R Studio) for conducting such research. Students will work as teams
to replicate the results of a published academic paper and then extend those results in a non-trivial manner. This course is designed for two types of students: first, those interested in applied economic research, and second, those curious about how that research is used and evaluated by finance professionals.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: final project
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 30
METHOD OF SELECTION: by instructor
COST PER STUDENT: $100
MEETING TIME: class will meet on some mornings and some afternoons, depending on day of the week
INSTRUCTOR: David Kane `88

David Kane '88 has a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government and is a Fellow at IQSS at Harvard
University. He is a former member of the Harvard faculty and currently works as a portfolio manager.

ECON 21 Fieldwork in International Development
This course involves an internship in a developing economy and an academic analysis of the relevant development issues. Students work full-time outside the United States in an organization active in grassroots development work. The instructors will work with each student to help arrange a placement and to
help secure funding through Williams Financial Aid or other sources. Such arrangements must be made
well in advance of Winter Study. Spanish speakers are especially encouraged to apply as there will be a
few internship opportunities in coffee-growing areas of Latin America. An informational meeting will take
place on Sunday September 20 at 4 pm in Paresky 220. Each student's internship provider shall send a
confirmation letter to the instructor by November 15, 2015 verifying the placement and describing the nature of the work to be performed by the intern. Students will read relevant background articles distributed
at the end of fall term and must agree to keep a journal, maintain contact with the instructors, and write a
final paper on development issues raised by their specific internship. A group meeting of all students will
occur after Winter Study to reflect on individual experiences. Students are also encouraged to attend development talks at the Center for Development Economics throughout the academic year.
Requirements: 90 hours of fieldwork; satisfactory evaluation from the institutional sponsor; 10-page final
paper or equivalent; participation in final meeting. At the time of registration, interested students should
send a resume and letter of interest to Paula Consolini. Paula Consolini is Director of the Center for
Learning in Action.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 10-page paper
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 8
METHOD OF SELECTION: resume and letter of interest will be used to select students if over-enrolled
MEETING TIME: some meetings will take place prior/after Winter Study, as students are off-site in internships during the winter term.
INSTRUCTORS: Ashok Rai and Paula Consolini

ECON 23 Affordable Housing in Massachusetts (Same as PSCI 23)(CANCELLED)
See under PSCI for full description

ECON 24 Introduction to the Economics, Geography and Appreciation of WineThis course provides an introduction to the economics, geography and appreciation of wine. We will be studying the economics and geography of wine production, and will also learn to identify, understand and appreciate the major wine types of the world. The course will involve lectures, outside readings, and in-class wine tastings. We will focus primarily on the Old World wine styles and regions of France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain and Portugal. The course has been expanded to also cover some New World wine regions, including California, Oregon, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluations will be based on short quizzes, including blind tastings, and either an oral presentation or 10-page paper at the conclusion of the course.
PREREQUISITES: Students must be 21 years old on or before January 5, 2015.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: If overenrolled, selection will be on the basis of a mix of academic record and diversity of backgrounds and interests.
COST: approximately $275.00 in the form of a course fee, to be used for the cost of wine purchases for the course
MEETING TIME: evenings, two nights a week
INSTRUCTOR: Peter Pedroni

ECON 30 Honors Project: Specialization Route
The "Specialization Route" to the degree with Honors in Economics requires that each candidate take an
Honors Winter Study Project in January of their senior year. Students who wish to begin their honors work
in January should submit a detailed proposal. Decisions on admission to the Honors WSP will be made in
the fall. Information on the procedures will be mailed to senior majors in economics early in the fall semester.Seniors who wish to apply for admission to the Honors WSP and thereby to the Honors Program should
register for this WSP as their first choice.Some seniors will have begun honors work in the fall and wish to complete it in the WSP. They will be admitted to the WSP if they have made satisfactory progress. They should register for this WSP as their first
choice.

ECON 31 Honors Thesis
To be taken by students participating in year-long thesis research (ECON 493-W31-494).

ECON 52 Micro-Simulation Modeling for Ex Ante Policy AnalysisMicro-simulation modeling provides one of the most powerful tools for ex ante evidence-based analysis
of economic and social policy interventions. Rooted in representative household surveys of a country's
population, the models provide a picture of poverty, employment, consumption and income levels throughout the country. A micro-simulation model enables researchers to investigate the impact of existing economic and social policy interventions (such as tax and public benefit interventions) on income levels, poverty, inequality and other outcomes. In addition, researchers are able to simulate the impact and estimate
the cost of new policy interventions.
During this course, students will learn to apply these methods to analyze public policies and interpret the
findings. The course examines measurement issues, analytical tools and their application to household
survey data for a range of developing countries. The course also links the outcomes of the analysis with
the challenges of policy implementation, exploring how the political environment and/or institutional setting may result in the implementation of second-best options. This is a hands-on modeling course, and
students will build a micro-simulation model for a country of their choice and use this model in completing
the course requirements. The course will employ Excel, Stata and advanced micro-simulation packages.
The final requirement for the course is a policy paper that provides students with an opportunity to write
accessible prose that communicates the methodology adopted and the key lessons of the analysis.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: exercises, presentation, policy papers
PREREQUISITES:
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION:
COST: $0
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Michael Samson

ECON 54 Financial CrisesThis is a CDE winter term course, open to undergraduates as well. It is intended to expose students to
analytical models of currency, banking, and sovereign debt crises, as well as to the interactions among
them. Students will read background papers on the determinants, impacts, and resolution of crises of all
three types, and then will examine a series of case studies, spanning crises from Chile (early 1980s),
Mexico (1994), East Asia (1997), and Brazil, among others. Although the focus is on emerging markets,
we will also cover the crisis of 2007-08, which was concentrated in the U.S. and selected European countries, though its impact was global, in addition to the current Euro crisis, as these events are painfully similar to those in low and middle income countries and offer useful lessons. They will prepare papers examining the vulnerability of specific developing countries to crises of any of the three types.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluation will be based on class participation, two 5-10 page papers, and
an in-class presentation.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: Priority will be based on written statement of interest.
COST PER STUDENT: $0
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTORS: Jerry Caprio and Peter Montiel

ECON 58 Growth Diagnostics
Evidence suggests that the “binding constraints” to economic growth are heterogeneous across countries and over time – i.e., the experience of economic growth can be unlocked in a large variety of ways. For instance, pre-reform China had been constrained by poor supply incentives in agriculture, whereas Brazil has been held back by an inadequate supply of credit, South Africa by poor employment incentives in manufacturing, El Salvador by insufficient production incentives in tradables, and so forth. How can a developing country’s policymakers arrive at conclusions such as these, thus enabling them to pragmatically pursue a selected set of growth-promoting policies, as opposed to a “laundry list” of reforms that are based on “best practice” rules-of-thumb? This course will serve as a primer on “growth diagnostics,” an empirically-driven analytical framework for identifying the most binding constraints to growth in a given country at a specific point in time, thereby allowing policymakers to develop well-targeted reforms for relaxing these constraints while being cognizant of the country’s prevailing economic, political, and social context. The course will employ a range of country-specific case studies to not only elucidate how the framework can be operationalized for policymaking but also demonstrate its scope and limitations. Students will be required to work in groups, each representing a given developing or emerging-market economy, in order to build a mini growth diagnostic for their group’s assigned country by the end of the course.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluation will be based on class participation, one 20-page group paper comprising a mini growth diagnostic for a country, and a group presentation on the mini growth diagnostic.
PREREQUISITES: ECON 501 and ECON 504
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: If overenrolled, priority will be based on written statement of interest.
ESTIMATED COST PER STUDENT: $0
MEETING TIME: Mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Quamrul Ashraf

ENGLISH

ENGL 10 Emma and Anna(CANCELLED)
Spend your winter study sitting before the fire, reading long novels about miserable women. We will read
two books that changed the course of world literature: Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary (translation by
Lydia Davis), and Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina (translation by Pevear and Volokhonsky); we will listen to
recordings of the novels; we will watch film adaptations of the novels; we will read a choice sampling of
critical writing about the novels; we will discuss the novels; we will respond to our reading of the novels in
nontraditional, multimedia forms.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: shoebox dioramas, graphic novels, short movies, illustrated journals, anything but a 10-page paper.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: English Majors will be given priority
COST PER STUDENT: cost of books
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Cassandra Cleghorn

ENGL 11 Mostly Manifestos
As the 20th C. began, the world of the Arts, broadly speaking, started to Talk Very Loudly and use exclamation marks! Artists of various stripes banded together in Groups and began to issue Manifestos,
declamations designed to turn the tide of history. Some of the names of the groups are familiar: DaDa,
Futurism, Surrealism. Some less so: Vorticism, Eccentrism. The periodicals of these groups had titles like
BLAST! In this course we will read, mostly, Manifestos of various kinds on various subjects, most of them
issued between 1900 and 1930. We will also look at/read the art these people were talking about or went
on to make. We will declaim or perform these older Manifestos; we might issue our own Manifesto; we
might make Manifesto-worthy art ourselves.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: class presentations and other in-class work, and a few writing assignments
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: seniority
COST PER STUDENT: None
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Peter Murphy

ENGL 12 Jewelry Making
This course will teach students to design and create jewelry in a wide range of styles and materials. We'll
start with basic techniques for assembling beaded jewelry and move on from there to pave settings, decorative wire wrapping, embossing and shaping sheet metal, working with resins and epoxies to transform
ephemeral materials into permaent components, and working with precious metal clays. Class will be held
in Prof. Case's jewelry studio in her home in North Adams, and the studio will also be open to students for
work outside of class hours. Students will also do independent investigation of particular themes, techniques or materials, culminating in a combination jewelry project and essay.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Portfolio of finished pieces and final project.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 8
METHOD OF SELECTION: By interview.
COST PER STUDENT: $125
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Alison Case

ENGL 13 Uncreative Writing
It's clear that long-cherished notions of creativity are under attack, eroded by file-sharing, media culture,
widespread sampling, and digital replication. How does writing respond to this new environment? This
workshop will rise to that challenge by employing strategies of appropriation, replication, plagiarism,
piracy, sampling, plundering, as compositional methods. Along the way, we'll trace the rich history of forgery, frauds, hoaxes, avatars, and impersonations spanning the arts, with a particular emphasis on how
they employ language. We'll see how the modernist notions of chance, procedure, repetition, and the aesthetics of boredom dovetail with popular culture to usurp conventional notions of time, place, and identity,
all as expressed linguistically. The preceding description, it should be said, is a plagiarism, appropriated
word for word from Kenneth Goldsmith's uncannily similar "Uncreative Writing" course at the University of
Pennsylvania. This Winter Study course will take up modes of inexpressive writing that sometimes travel
under the name of "Conceptual Writing" (a term derived by analogy from the conceptual art movements of
the '60s & '70s) or "Uncreative Writing. We will run primarily as a writing workshop, with an emphasis on
uncreativity and procedure-based writing assignments, both in and outside of class. We will also engage
in a critical investigation of the history and theoretical bases of appropriation and chance-based modes of
writing, as well as critiques of those practices. Our main focus will be on writing and language-based
works, but our stumbles will also take us into the visual arts, including conceptual art, as well as contemporary music. At least one field trip will be part of this course, as well as a visit to MassMoCA in North
Adams. No creative writing experience necessary. Reading/viewing/listening will include works by Monica de la Torre, Kenneth Goldsmith, Christian Bök, Vanessa Place, Sol Lewitt, Christian Marclay, Girl Talk,
and others.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Frequent writing assignments in class, a WS-long individual project.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 30
METHOD OF SELECTION: by chance
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Gage McWeeny

ENGL 14 REEL DEBATE
"REEL DEBATE" is the working title of a web series that students in this course will design, produce,
shoot on tape, edit and, ultimately,share. Inspired by "Reel Geezers," an Internet show of film criticism
and analysis that became an unexpected `hit' for its candid, cheerfully-contentious pair of Hollywood veterans, "REEL DEBATE" will give 3-5 pairs of Williams students the opportunity to debate movies online--creating episodes of the College's first movie-centric talk show. All students will have an opportunity to
learn all technical positions, to learn the teamwork required of filmed production, and to share and debate
their opinions, boldly, on-camera. Requirements will include: participation in the creation of "REEL DEBATE," careful viewing of the movies to be discussed in each episode, and consistent engagement in
class discussion during prep, production and post-production. No prior production or debating experience
is required.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: the final product of this course will be a series of 5-minute episodes, and
students will be evaluated for their individual and group participation, commitment and growth
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: letter to instructor describing student's interest in the WSP
COST PER STUDENT: 0
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Stacy Cochran '81

Stacy Cochran '81 is a screenwriter, director and producer of features and shorter works.

ENGL 15 College Writing Skills: A Trouble-Shooting Clinic
Do you suffer from writer’s block? Do you receive a recognizable pattern of comments on your essays, but are unsure how to solve your writing problems? Do you know out what counts as an argument or as evidence in your papers across the disciplines? These and other questions will be answered in this “clinic” for writing. Writers of all levels are welcome, as are all majors. We will do hands-on exercises that will improve your writing. Our class will be tailored to your particular problems. Think of the instructor as your writing coach—ready both to encourage and to discipline you, and to craft a personalized routine that will strengthen those skills that need strengthening. Writing well is the single most practical skill you can learn at college. You’ve got this.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Three 3-page papers, and a journal of exercises and short-short assignments
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION:
COST PER STUDENT: 0
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Cassandra Cleghorn

ENGL 16 Feminism(s) on Campus: Where are We Now? (Same as WGSS 16)(CANCELLED)
A glance at any newspaper reveals that we are in the midst of a national conversation over what constitutes gender equality; who can claim the identity "woman;" how gender, race, class, sexuality, and other
identifications intersect, and what that means for the possibility of a feminist politics; and the tension between sexual and reproductive autonomy and the need to create legal and other protections to prevent
and address sexual harm. This course will examine a series of case studies focused on how these issues
are being negotiated on college campuses. These studies may include debates around 1). movements
on campuses and nationally to end sexual assault and its relation to the feminist ideal of sexual autonomy; 2). recurring disputes over the degree to which lived experience is the prerequisite for political and
intellectual authority; 3). calls for "safe" or "safer" spaces and trigger warnings in and out of the classroom
and reactions to these demands; and 4). the question of what role other forms of identifications such as
race, sexuality, class and religion should play in thinking "as" a feminist. Emphasis will be placed on respectful dialogue; students need neither to identify as feminist nor as female to participate. In addition to
contemporary journalism (broadly defined), we may read classic feminist texts, poetry, fiction, and more,
as well as consider the visual arts, film, and television, political debates and any other area of culture that
might help us to understand and analyze our contemporary moment.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: class participation; short response pieces to the readings; participation in
structured debates; informal reading journal; 5- to 10-page final paper
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference given to majors in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies and
by application
COST PER STUDENT: 50
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Kathryn Kent

ENGL 17 Writing & Drawing: The Naturalist's Journal (Same as ENVI 17)
See under ENVI for full description

ENGL 18 Stories and Pictures (and Trailers and Posters) (Same as ARTS 18)
The screen is black. A dark rumbling engulfs you, getting louder and louder, and with a flash of light and
uplifting violins you are swept into the promise for a story that will make you laugh out loud, howl with excitement, and discover hidden truths.
In this class, we will make trailers and posters for imaginary movies, create drawings and paintings with
assignments generated by The Randomizer (you'll see), and pretend to have made other people's work.
In discussions and lectures, we will expand on the notion of the condensed narrative in contemporary
visual art and look at how artists use various forms of storytelling to inform their work today.
We will try out various art-making techniques such as drawing, digital photography and video, and learn
how to edit a video project in Premiere and how to design a movie poster in Photoshop. We'll talk about
the different ways in which narrative can provide fuel for image-making, and figure out how to make good
art fast. We will go on at least one field-trip.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Students are required to complete all assignments, vigorously participate in
class discussions, and take part in a final exhibition.
PREREQUISITES: students of all intellectual and creative persuasions are welcome
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: if over-enrolled preference will be given to students who write the instructor a
short email explaining their interest in the class
COST PER STUDENT: $50
MEETING TIME: mornings; three times per week, for 2-3 hours at a time, starting at 10am
INSTRUCTOR: Gabriela Vainsencher

Gabriela Vainsencher is a visual artist who makes videos, site-specific installations, drawings, and sculptures. She is living and working in Brooklyn. Vainsencher was Williams College's Levitt fellow in 2009, and
since then she has taught a winter study class in January 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Her recent exhibitions include a two-person show at the Musée d'art moderne André Malraux in Le Havre, France and a
solo show at Recession Art gallery in New York.

ENGL 19 Fanon: Anticolonialism and Revolution
"Europe is literally a creation of the Third World," Frantz Fanon declares in his indelible book The
Wretched of the Earth, "the wealth which smothers her is that which was stolen from the underdeveloped
peoples. The ports of Holland, the docks of Bordeaux and Liverpool specialized in the Negro slave trade,
and owe their renown to millions of deported slaves. So when we hear the head of a European state declare with his hand on his heart that he must come to the aid of the poor underdeveloped peoples, we do
not tremble with gratitude." Fanon's words, written in 1961, aim an unflinching look at the fallacies and
paradoxes of liberalism, humanism, colonialism, and what he calls the "infinite science" of the colonizer.
But many would argue that these words are equally illuminating in our own neo-Imperial moment in which
occupations, militarized police forces, and violations of "failed states'" sovereignty are daily occurrences.
If Fanon set a course for black revolutionary and anticolonial action in the last century, what can his
thought offer us now?
This course will serve as an intensive introduction to Fanon's philosophical and political writings, which
continue to stand as some of the most influential and rousing works of the twentieth century. Born in Martinique and trained in France as a psychiatrist, Fanon spent the last decade of his life in Algeria, where he
joined the struggle for national liberation. Marked by a layered history of anti-colonial struggle in the Caribbean, Europe, and North Africa, as much as by a commitment to the world-wide projects of decolonization and revolution, Fanon's writing was has been taken up by political and critical movements around the
world, from South Africa to Sri Lanka, from the Black Panthers to queer theory. In this short course, [/In
this intensive introduction] we will read Fanon's two major works, Black Skin, White Masks, and The
Wretched of the Earth, as well as the essays on Algeria collected in A Dying Colonialism, and selections
from Toward the African Revolution. We will also watch Isaac Julien's Frantz Fanon: Black Skin, White
Mask and Göran Olsson's documentary Concerning Violence, on the legacy of Fanon's thought.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 10-page paper
PREREQUISITES: a 100 level English class
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 30
METHOD OF SELECTION: English majors will be given priority
COST PER STUDENT: none
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Anjuli Kolb

ENGL 20 Writing Art (Same as ARTS 20)
This course is conceived primarily as an experiential adventure in creative forms of art writing. We'll read
several important examples of such work, including Roland Barthes Camera Lucida, John Ashbery's
"Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror," and T.J. Clark's The Sight of Death; these works will give us a sense of
the range of approaches, from the essay to the ekphrastic poem, that characterize the genre. Each student will undertake such a writing project as well; you're free to write non-fiction, fiction, poetry, or some
hybrid form, but, since half of your grade will be determined by this final project, you'll need to be self-directed and ambitious in your practice. We'll discuss a final draft of each student's work together in class. We'll meet twice a week (for three hours each session), sometimes to discuss books, and sometimes to
look at art in one of our local museums, but your own engagement with this class will occupy significantly
more time, averaging around twenty hours a week, and will necessitate multiple independent visits to the
work(s) of art you choose to discuss.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Students are required to complete an ambitious creative writing project and
to actively participate in all class discussions.
PREREQUISITES: some experience with creative making will be very helpful
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: If over-enrolled, preference will be given to students who write the instructor
a short email explaining their interest in the class.
COST PER STUDENT: $100
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Jessica Fisher

ENGL 22 A Poetic Friendship: Amiri Baraka and Edward Dorn (Same as AMST 15)
See under AMST for full description

ENGL 25 Journalism Today
This course will give students an in-depth view of the inner workings of journalism today. It will feature the
perspectives of several Williams alumni who work in a broad spectrum of today's media universe, including print, broadcast, and new media. In previous years, we've had visitors from outlets like the Wall Street
Journal, the New York Times, NPR, ABC News and Bloomberg News. Our guests will discuss specific
reporting skills, and experiences in their background (students should be aware that our precise meeting
schedule week by week may vary, to accommodate the schedules and availability of our guests). In addition to readings of work by guests, there will be one required text about reporting and writing. Students
will be expected to complete several small reporting and writing exercises, as well as one feature-length
news story on a topic to be assigned at the beginning of the course. There will be a week-long trip to New
York for field work and to visit various newsrooms. In previous years, organizations visited have included
CNN, the New York Times, the Columbia School of Journalism, ABC News, MSNBC, Pro Publica, the
Wall Street Journal and NPR.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: participation in class discussions and reporting and writing exercises, and
the completion of one fully-reported, original, feature-length news story about a topic to be assigned at
the beginning of the course
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference will be given to students with a demonstrated interest in journalism or media (as explained in a statement of interest), with a priority given to upperclassmen
COST PER STUDENT: $960
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Christopher Marcisz

ENVI 12 Geology of the National Parks (Same as GEOS 12)
See under GEOS for full description

ENVI 13 United States Environmental Law: Its Historic Past, Its Uncertain Future (Same as JLST
13)
See under JLST for full description

ENVI 14 Landscape Photography (Same as GEOS 14)
See under GEOS for full description

ENVI 16 Cheese Making and the Benefits of Value-added Production in Small Scale Agriculture
This course will look at the structures and strategies that drive Cricket Creek Farm and help sustain it with
value added production, specifically cheese making. Students will be introduced to the science and art of
producing artisanal cheese through a combination of hands-on lessons and lectures/discussions. Additionally, the course will examine the reasons why cheese is produced at Cricket Creek Farm, and how
value-added products generally are a means to small-farm viability.
Course material will include handouts, prescribed online reading, and other multimedia. Students will participate in group work to complete a final project. Student should expect to spend some time outside of
the course hours to complete readings and group work. The final group project will be an examination of
an aspect of value-added production. The project may take the form of a paper or presentation to the
class and general public. The focus of the piece will be on value added products and the relevance to the
local food movement.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation is based on overall participation and completion of the final project
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: perspective students will be asked to submit a brief statement of why they
would like to participate
COST PER STUDENT: $100
MEETING TIME: afternoons
IN STRUCTOR: Matthew McMahon

Matthew McMahon is the head cheese maker at Cricket Creek Farm in Williamsotwn. Previously he was a
cheese maker at Hawthorne Valley Farm in Ghent, New York, Gould Farm in Monterey, Massachusetts
and Round Mountain Farm in Black Mountain, North Carolina. He also worked as the Community Work
and Service Director at Cooperriis Healing Community in Asheville, North Carolina. He lives with his family in Williamstown.

ENVI 17 Writing & Drawing: The Naturalist's Journal (Same as ENGL 17)
This is a short course in creative non-fiction nature writing--a genre in which personal reflection and expression are joined with detailed observation of the natural environment.
At the heart of all nature writing lies a steady patience and a long attentive looking. "To learn something
new," said the naturalist, John Burroughs, "take the path today that you took yesterday." All participants
will be asked to keep "seed-books" and field journals, and to write at least one original piece of prose,
which will be re-worked and polished over the course of the four weeks.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: final project, field journal and presentation, plus one piece of original prose
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: seniority
COST PER STUDENT: $75
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Christian McEwen

Christian McEwen is a writer and workshop leader, currently based in Williamsburg, MA.

ENVI 18 Sustainable Business Strategies (Same as ECON 18)
This course explores the practical realities of "sustainable business." We will develop our own definition of
"sustainability" that encompasses both financial success as well as long run impact on climate and the
environment. Topics include:
What are the criteria for sustainability? E.g. Renewable energy; organic farming; creative waste disposal;
broader social purpose.
How does the concept of externalities relate to sustainability? Must all external costs and benefits be "internalized" in order for a business to be truly sustainable?
Should "environmentalism" be a "rear guard" movement seeking to slow, conserve, protect, defend, and
delay economic growth, or whether should modern environmentalism embrace the dynamic power of capitalism to create technologies and businesses that actively work against climate change?
Can sustainable business models coexist with traditional shareholder value maximization models? We
evaluate the role of "B" companies allowing directors to take into account the interest of all stakeholders
including workers, consumers, the society at large, and the environment.
How does sustainability reconcile with the priority of economic growth, particularly in the developing
world? What is the relationship to fair labor standards and environmental regulation?
What is the optimal role and purpose of governmental subsidies? When should subsidies sunset and
leave industries to succeed (or fail) on their own?
Students will read two books: Encounters with the Archdruid and Breakthrough, plus a collection of 4-5
substantial articles.
We are likely to make one or more off-campus trips. In past years we have visited Ecovative Design in
Troy (mushroom based Styrofoam substitute) and traveled to NYC for an intensive day-long seminar with
professional investors from Blackrock, DE Shaw and various "impact investment" funds.
Final project: Teams of 2-3 students will target a company of their choice and present (during the last
week of class) a critical evaluation of that company's progress, challenges, and prospects for success
both financially and in terms of their sustainability goals.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 18
COST PER STUDENT: $45 for books.
MEETING TIME: late mornings or early afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Don Carlson

Don Carlson is venture partner with Rubicon Venture Capital. Don has been a Williams faculty member
(CES and chair of political economy, 1990-92); chief knowledge officer at Goldman Sachs; a business
leader and/or CEO at Axiom, Matterhorn, Corporate Executive Board, and Business Intelligence Advisors;
a trial lawyer at Williams & Connolly, and legislative director for Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy II. Don
is a serial entrepreneur, board member and investor in more than a dozen of growth stage companies.

ENVI 25 Sustainable Agriculture in California (Same as BIOL 25)
Students will gain hands-on experience with the diversity of agricultural practices in Central Coast of California on a variety farms from vineyards in San Luis Obispo County in the south through the winter vegetable, livestock, and diversified farms in the Salinas Valley and Santa Cruz region in the north. We will examine agriculture on different scales, from small single-person farms to large operations operated by
corporations. We will experience a diversity of approaches within various crops, contrasting and comparing biodynamic and organic approaches with other forms of conservation agriculture and conventional
petrochemical-intensive methods of producing food. The course will include participating in the Ecological Farming (EcoFarm) Conference in Pacific Grove, CA.
This field course will be structured to give students as much hands-on experience as possible by engaging them in work experiences in exchange for interviewing the farm operators and touring the facilities.
For the most part we will be lodged in yurts, bunk-houses, and similar accommodations, and working under whatever weather conditions we encounter.
The WSP field trip course will segue from the spring 2015 and fall 2015 seminar BIOL/ENVI 422 Ecology
of Sustainable Agriculture.
Readings (some in advance, some in January include): Starrs, P. and P. Goin, Field Guide to California
Agriculture; Guthman, J., Agrarian Dreams; Kingsolver, B., Animal, Vegetable, Miracle; Nestle, M., Politics
of Food; Hesterman, O.B., Fair Food; Pollan, M., In Defense of Food.
PREREQUISITES: none, but preference given to student who have taken BIOL/ENVI 422
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluation will be based on a field journal in addition to a 10-page paper
dealing with the intersection of the readings and field experiences. Students will contribute chapters to a
collective journal/field guide to our experiences.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 8
METHOD FOR SELECTION: by application essay
COST PER STUDENT: $0; this course is supported by the Class of 1963 Sustainability Fund and the
Gaudino Fund
INSTRUCTOR: Henry Art

ENVI 26 The Geology and Climate History of Monterey Bay (Same as GEOS 25 and MAST 25)(CANCELLED)
See under GEOS for full description

ENVI 31 Senior Research and Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Environmental Studies 493-494.

GEOSCIENCES

GEOS 11 Mars (and now, Pluto)!-A Passion for Planets (Same as ASTR 12)
See under ASTR for full description

GEOS 12 Geology of the National Parks (Same as ENVI 12)
A vicarious trip through a variety of national parks in the US and Canada to appreciate the geological basis for their spectacular scenery. Areas to be included will be selected to portray a wide range of geological processes (volcanism, desert and coastal erosion, mountain-building, glaciation, etc.). The group will
meet most mornings during the first two weeks for highly illustrated classes, supplemented by the interpretation of topographic and geologic maps and by out-of-class study of rock samples. Readings will be
from a paperback text (PARKS AND PLATES) as well as short publications by the U.S. Geological Survey
and various natural history associations linked to the parks. The second part of the month will involve independent study and preparation of an oral report about the geology of a park or monument of the student's choice. The oral reports during the last week will be comprehensive and well illustrated, using PowerPoint, maps, samples, and other reference materials pertinent to the geology of the subject area. A
detailed outline and bibliography will be distributed by the presenter at the time of the report.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Based on attendance, participation, and the quality of the oral report.
PREREQUISITES: none; open to first- and second-year students who have had no previous college-level study of physical geology
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference to first-years
COST PER STUDENT: about $90 for the text
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Bud Wobus

GEOS 14 Landscape Photography (Same as ENVI 14)
This class will broaden students' appreciation for the appearance and history of the landscape and teach
the skills of making a successful photograph. Williamstown, situated in a valley between the Green and
Taconic Mountains and bisected by the Green and Hoosic Rivers, is a place of great natural beauty. The
local landscape is a subject that inspires both professional and amateur photographers alike. While Williamstown will be the subject of most of our work, we will use it to learn principles of universal application.
Students will discover the importance of light in making a photograph. They will also learn camera skills
and the mechanics of digital photography, which will be reviewed at biweekly class meetings. In addition
to photographing and critiquing images, the class will visit collections at the Clark Art Institute, WCMA and
Chapin Library to see original paintings and photographs. Course will include an overview of the history of
landscape photography with an emphasis on American workers such as Carlton Watkins, Eadweard Muybridge, Alfred Stieglitz, Eliot Porter and Ansel Adams. Demonstrations will include examples of cameras
such as medium and large format. Students will produce a body of successful photographs that will be
projected at the Winter Study presentation day and on the web http://nicholaswhitmanphoto.com/winterstudy2014/http://nicholaswhitmanphoto.com/winterstudy2015/Students will submit short written explanations with each of their photographic assignments.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation will be based on attendance, the student's photography, and their
presentation
PREREQUISITES: students will need a digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR) or an electronic viewfinder (DSL) camera such as those by Sony or Olympus. See http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-buy-a-dslr-camera/. Also a laptop pc with Adobe Lightroom and 1TB external drive.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference given to first-year students and sophomores
COST PER STUDENT: $100
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Nicholas Whitman

Nicholas Whitman is a professional photographer and the former Curator of Photography at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. A 1977 graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology, he has honed his craft
to make landscape photographs of power and depth. See more at www.nwphoto.com.

GEOS 25 The Geology and Climate History of Monterey Bay (Same as MAST 25 and ENVI 26)(CANCELLED)
The San Andreas transform fault takes a slight jog to the left in central California, and the resulting compression with slip along this fault uplifted the Santa Cruz Mountains between San Francisco and Monterey
Bays. The uplift created spectacular scenery, including stair-step wave-cut terraces, sheer seacliffs, and
deeply incised arroyos. It also exposed beautiful sequences of Miocene and Pliocene sedimentary rocks
that were deposited on the outer continental shelf under warm, productive waters. In this travel course,
we will visit Monterey Bay and apply a range of field techniques to map and sample both ancient and
modern sediments. We will study the sedimentary structures in the rocks that resulted from compaction,
fluid flow, and hydrocarbon cracking with burial. We will also study recent and modern sediment deposition in the region by vibracoring tidal marsh sediments in Elkhorn Slough, conducting seismic surveys
from the Research Vessel John H. Martin, and collecting plankton tow, sediment trap and seafloor sediment samples. This WSP course is linked to a spring semester course GEOS 314, Sediment records of
climate change, in which the sediment samples collected during the field expedition will be used to create
climate records.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation is based on participation, field notebooks and a presentation
PREREQUISITES: GEOS 104 or GEOS 210 or GEOS 215 or permission of instructor
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: enrollment preference for students registered for GEOS 314 in the spring semester
COST PER STUDENT: $0; transportation, accommodation, and meals for the field expedition is fully supported by the Freeman Foote Field Trip Fund for the Sciences
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Mea Cook

GEOS 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Geology 493-494.

GERMAN

GERM S.P. Sustaining Program for German 101-102
Something new and different for students enrolled in German 101-102. Practice in the use of German for
everyday purposes; creation and performance of short dramatic sketches through group collaboration;
games; songs; storytelling; reading. No homework.
Requirements: active participation and regular attendance earn a "Pass" grade.
Prerequisites: German 101 or equivalent. Limited to German 101-102 students.
Cost: approximately $5 for photocopied materials.
Meeting time: mornings, three times a week 9-9:50 a.m.

GERM 11 A Taste of Austria (Same as MATH 11)
See under MATH for full description

GERM 30 Honors Project
To be taken by honors candidates following other than the normal thesis route.

GERM 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for German 493-494.

GLOBAL STUDIES

GBST 11 Decolonization (Same as PSCI 11)(CANCELLED)
See under PSCI for full description

GBST 14 African Cities and Fiction (Same as AFR 14 and HIST 14)
See under HIST for full description

GBST 25 Encountering the Sacred and its Forms in Buddhist in Hindu South Indian Communities
(Same as REL 25)
See under REL for full description

GBST 30 Senior Honors Project
To be taken by candidates for honors in International Studies.

HISTORY

HIST 10 Du Bois and Souls of Black Folk (Same as AFR 10)
Souls of Black Folk, written by the scholar W. E. B. Du Bois in 1903 remains to this day a critical part of
the canon of African American arts and letters, best known, perhaps, for the line: "the problem of the 20th
century is the problem of the color line." Too often, however, we never get the chance to read the essays
in their entirety. This course will examine Souls as a book about history and as a historical text in its own
right. What point did Du Bois make about black history? Is his perspective relevant to us today? Souls of
Black Folk is the only textbook for the class, which will include a field. The course will meet 3 times a
week for 2 hours, and evaluation will be based in an 8-10 page essay due at the end of winter study.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 8-10 page paper, attendance and preparation for class
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: seniority
COST PER STUDENT: $50-75
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Leslie Brown

HIST 11 Crisis: China and Korea (Same as ASST 11)
This WSP focuses on four key events: China's Opium War (1839-42). Mao Zedong's Great Proletarian
Cultural Revolution (1966-76), the Korean War (1950-53) and the current Kim Jong-un regime in North
Korea (2011-??). Our discussions will focus on the different interpretations of these events as revealed in
primary documents, histories, literature and film. We will also discuss how China's experience has influenced North Korea. No prior knowledge of Asia is assumed.
Requirements include active participation in class, three short (1-2 page) film reviews and a 8-10 page
paper (plus a short individual or team oral report) on contemporary North Korea.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation will be based on class participation, three 1- to 2-page papers, a
10-page paper and an individual or team report
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: by lottery, but special requests could be considered
COST PER STUDENT: $35 for books and offsets
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Peter Frost

Peter Frost was a member of the Williams History Department for 37 years and has recently been a Visiting Professor at the University of Mississipp's Honors International Studies Program.

HIST 12 The East is Red?-Socialism in Asia (Same as ASST 12 and PSCI 10)
See under ASST for full description

HIST 14 African Cities and Fiction (Same as AFR 14 and GBST 14)
This course examines the ways in which the mega-cities of Johannesburg, Lagos, and Nairobi are portrayed in recent fiction. We will focus on the novelists' spirited and dynamic representations of their cities'
current reality so that we might begin to understand their histories. We will discuss works by Teju Cole,
Mukoma wa Ngugi, Binyavanga Wainaina, Phaswane Mpe, Lauren Beukes, and Chris Abani, among others.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: class attendance and participation' 10-page paper at the end of the session
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 30
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference given to History, Africana studies, and International studies majors
and concentrators
COST PER STUDENT: 70
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Kenda Mutongi

HIST 15 Documenting Stories of Escape and Survival (Same as BIOL 15)
See under BIOL for full description

HIST 16 The Supreme Court and Social Change (Same as JLST 16)
This course will explore the role of the Supreme Court in social change. From directly confronting social
issues to deciding cases that implicate the political process, the Supreme Court influences the way the
public thinks and how policy is made. But scholars, politicians, and members of the public hold wildly divergent views about the efficacy and propriety of using the Court to drive social change. We'll take a look
at literature from several sides of the debate and from multiple disciplinary perspectives, including history,
political science, sociology, and legal theory. We'll also read several of the Court's watershed decisions
on social issues, as well as decisions that may indirectly influence social policy. Finally, we'll think about
what all of this means for the Court's involvement in current hot button issues.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation will be based on class participation and a 10-page paper
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: seniority, prior coursework in history and/or legal studies
COST PER STUDENT: $0
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Susan Reid

Susan Yorke (Williams '06) holds a law degree from Columbia and a Master in Public Affairs from Princeton. She clerked for two years on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, served as Court Counsel to the Supreme Court of the Republic of Palau, and is currently an Assistant Attorney General at the Oregon Department of Justice.

HIST 17 Eyewitness to the Civil Rights Movement: Mississippi 1964-'65 (Same as AMST 17)
During sixteen months in 1964-'65, I worked as a civil rights organizer in rural Mississippi with the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). I witnessed and aided in the heroic efforts by black
citizens to dismantle the pervasive structure of Jim Crow that had oppressed them for generations. I
worked with relatively uneducated people who had the stature of giants. What I encountered was an
apartheid America--a vicious police state reinforced by government and vigilante violence--beyond the
understanding of most Americans and certainly beyond the imagination of young people today. The
course will explore this transformative moment in recent American history largely thru discussion and documentary film. Topics will include non-violence, the role of the black church, black nationalism, Malcolm X
and Black Power, the role of women, the role of whites, the third party politics of the Mississippi Freedom
Democratic Party and the actions of the federal government during the civil rights era. The course will examine how these issues have played out over the ensuing decades up to and including the election of
Barack Obama and the recent racial unrest in American cities. It is the intent of the instructor to convey
the immediacy that only first person experience can invoke. The class will meet three times a week and
read three books. Music from the period will be utilized.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation will be based on class participation and a final project in any media approved by the instructor
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: chosen randomly
COST PER STUDENT: $81
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Chris Williams

Chris Williams is the former College architect. He has recently returned from a tour of
Mississippi where the events in this course took place. He has offered Winter Study courses at Williams
on previous occasions and has taught courses in architecture at Pratt Institute and Parsons School of Design in New York City.

HIST 18 Feng Shui: Space in Theory and Practice (Same as ASST 18)
Fengshui ("wind-water") is an ancient Chinese technique for analyzing and manipulating the energy that
a place draws from its surrounding environment. Traditionally used to situate tombs, cities, and buildings,
in the present its principles are used by architects, landscape designers, and interior decorators. In its
most popular guise, fengshui is often presented as a method of "harmonizing" an environment to bring
good fortune. In this course, we will examine the history and theory of fengshui as well as some of the
techniques used in its contemporary application. The course will culminate with independent or group
projects applying these principles to particular spaces or contexts. Coursework will include readings in
academic and popular literature, documentaries, and attending a talk by an invited speaker.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: two short papers, final project
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 30
METHOD OF SELECTION: some preference to students studying Chinese or Asian Studies
COST PER STUDENT: $50 for books and materials
MEETING TIME: Tuesdays 1-3:50 and Wednesdays 9-12
INSTRUCTOR: Anne Reinhardt

HIST 20 Literatures of War
In order to better understand the impact of war on American society, this course will examine three books
that have come out of the American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We will read "Generation Kill" which
documents combat in the early part of the American invasion of Iraq; "Thank You for Your Service" which
discusses the conflicts veterans face upon returning to the US; and "Redeployment," a collection of short
stories written by a combat veteran who served in Iraq. Class will be based on the reading and discussion of these texts, and viewing some films dealing with the role of war in American culture.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: students are required to write three response papers to the readings and
one 10-page research paper
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: expressed interest in the course, directly communicated to the professor
COST PER STUDENT: $30.00
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Scott Wong

HIST 30 Workshop in Independent Research
This course is intended for both junior History majors and sophomores intending on majoring in history
who think they might like to do a senior thesis, but who would like to gain more experience in independent
research. Students who are interested in exploring a possible topic for a senior thesis are especially encouraged to sign up. This workshop will help familiarize students with methods for doing historical research, including how historians define good research questions; become familiar with the historiography;
strategize doing primary research; and identify their sources. Students will also be introduced to doing
archival work. Students will pursue their own research on any topic of their own choosing for a 10-page
final paper, and we'll use a workshop format to discuss the research and writing of that paper.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: class participation and final paper
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: interest in course subject determined by questionnaire
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Jessica Chapman

HIST 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by all senior honors students who are registered for HIST 493 (Fall) and HIST 494 (Spring),
HIST 31 allows thesis writers to complete their research and prepare a draft chapter, due at the end of
WSP.
INSTRUCTOR: Alexandra Garbarini

JEWISH STUDIES

JWST 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for JWST 493 or 494.

JUSTICE AND LAW

JLST 13 United States Environmental Law: Its Historic Past, Its Uncertain Future (Same as ENVI
13)
Taught from the perspective of an experienced trial attorney, this course will examine the role environmental law plays in the United States today in light of how that role has developed during the nearly fifty years
since the modern era of environmental law began. As a preface, we will consider the significantly more
limited influence of environmental law in our national affairs before 1970 and some of the historical and
political reasons for that situation. We will examine the reasons why the law's early application in the first
half of the 20th century almost exclusively to the conservation and preservation of natural resources took
on in the second half a markedly different approach, one emphasizing pollution control and all but ignoring resource conservation.
The course will begin by tracing the development of an American consciousness towards the environment
through an examination of our law and our literature. The term "law" includes state and federal judicial
decisions and legislation, particularly during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt and during the decades which followed the year 1970 when much of the legal basis for the American environmental protection movement was established. The term "literature" includes not just the written word (the first book we
look at is "The Lorax" by your favorite childhood author, Dr. Seuss) but also paintings, sculpture, and music. Nothing too heavy! We will examine the historical and legal choices we as Americans have made
which have put our environment on trial. What occurred in our development as a people that explains this
quintessentially American phenomenon? Our journey begins with the Puritans of New England and the
planters of Virginia and their predecessors in the New World and then moves swiftly to the beginning of
the modern era in environmental law and to its now uncertain future.
In light of this historical situation students will examine state and federal legislative and judicial attempts to
address environmental problems and then try to reach informed, rational conclusions as to whether those
attempts were successful. What were the political, social and economic issues involved and, ultimately,
how did their context affect the legal solutions imposed. Cases decided at the appellate level will be
introduced and examined through their trial court memoranda opinions in order to observe how the legal
system actually works and how frequently the reasoning behind the trial judge's decision changes as the
case works its way through the appellate process.
This course will be presented from a litigator's point of view, that is to say, both the practical and the
theoretical, emphasizing what is possible to achieve in the litigator's real world as informed by what the
academician would present from the security of the classroom. Evaluation will be based on attendance
and classroom participation. Students will prepare several short papers, including single page "clerk's
notes," which will present one or more sides of an issue and form the basis for classroom discussion.
They will be asked to defend or reject the conclusions reached or approaches taken by our courts and
legislatures and by our literature, as broadly defined, on environmental issues.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: extensive readings with only 5 one-page, single-spaced papers on historical and legal subjects designed to further the class discussions; this course is appropriate for students
eager to explore the material presented and prepared to argue assigned positions on important legal, literary and historical issues
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
COST PER STUDENT: $80 for books and materials
MEETING TIME: mornings, 3 two-hour sessions a week, MWF
INSTRUCTOR: Philip R. McKnight `65
SPONSOR: Alan Hirsch

Philip R. McKnight '65 is a trial and appellate attorney. At Williams he completed the honors program for
both American History and Literature and European History. He earned his law degree from The University of Chicago Law School and then practiced in the state and federal courts of New York and Connecticut,
as well as in Europe.

JLST 14 Mock Trial
This course was offered in 2012, 2013 and 2015 and provides students an opportunity to learn how a trial lawyer goes about preparing and trying a case. The instructors have secured course materials from the
American Mock Trial Association, and this year's case likely will be a defamation case brought by a political candidate against a reporter. Two teams will be formed and the individual teams will work together to
present two trials, one as plaintiff and one as defendant. The students will play the roles as both witnesses and attorneys to present the case. The initial lecture is called "Anatomy of a Trial," and introduces
the students to the basic elements of a civil trial, including selection of witnesses, creation of an overall
theme, use of evidence, direct and cross examination and trial tactics. Subsequent classes will involve the
teams working with the lecturers to select effective trial witnesses from a pool of potential witnesses and
to prepare opening statements, direct and cross examinations, and closing arguments. The final two days
will be devoted to the trial of the case, with the teams switching sides on the second day. In the past, we
have been able to secure local attorneys to play the role of judge and local residents to serve as jurors.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: two trials are presented in the last two days, one as plaintiff and one as defendant so students have to learn both sides of the case; students will be evaluated on their work preparing and presenting the case
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 24
COST PER STUDENT: $10
MEETING TIME: Mondays and Tuesdays -- 12:00 to 4:00 on Mondays and 10:00 to 2:00 on Tuesdays
INSTRUCTORS: David Olson '71 and Louis (Sey) Zimmerman `71

After working for 4 years at the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, Dave Olson '71 graduated from The Ohio
State University Law School in 1978. He then joined Frost & Jacobs in Cincinnati working in the Litigation
Department. Over the years the firm has grown to more than 450 attorneys with offices in six states and
10 cities and is now known as Frost Brown Todd. He practices as a civil trial attorney representing individuals and corporations in state and federal courts. His practice focuses on construction and complex
litigation. Dave is also active in civic affairs, and is currently on the Board of the Freestore Foodbank, the
Volunteer Lawyers for the Poor Foundation, and the Little Miami Fire District.

Louis (Sey) Zimmerman was a 1971 graduate of Williams College and a 1974 graduate of the University
of Texas School of Law. Upon graduation from law school, Sey was a law clerk for U.S. District Judge
Owen Cox for two years. Sey then joined the law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski where he practiced in the
litigation section for over 35 years in the firm's offices in Austin and Houston, Texas and in Washington
D.C. Early in his career, Sey handled primarily tort cases and contract cases before specializing in environmental and energy litigation. Sey has tried multiple cases, both jury trials to verdict and nonjury trials.
He has argued multiple appeals in the State and Federal appellate courts. He is the author of articles on
various aspects of environmental law, energy law, and legal ethics. He has taught trial advocacy courses
for young lawyers. Sey was also active in volunteer legal service in Central Texas and was a long time
board member and chair of the organization.

JLST 15 The Work of the Supreme Court: A Simulation (Same as CHEM 15)
See under CHEM for full description

JLST 16 The Supreme Court and Social Change (Same as HIST 16)
See under HIST for full description

JLST 22 Learning Intervention For Teens (Same as PSCI 22)
See under PSCI for full description

LATINA/O STUDIES

LATS 31 Latina/o Honors Thesis Seminar
Students must register for this course to complete an honors project begun in the fall or begin one to be
finished in the spring.
Prerequisite: approval of program chair.
Enrollment limited to senior honors candidates.

LEADERSHIP STUDIES

LEAD 12 Three Roosevelt Elections
The 1930s was a pivotal decade in American history. It was the decade of the Great Depression, of darkening war clouds, and of the golden age of Hollywood movies. It was also the decade of Franklin Roosevelt. In the presidential election of 1932, as the country was plummeting to rock bottom in the Depression, New York's governor Franklin Roosevelt challenged incumbent President Herbert Hoover. Four
years later, in the election of 1936, FDR defended his New Deal record against Governor Alf Landon of
Kansas. And in 1940, as European democracies fell one by one to the merciless Nazi onslaught and as
American isolationists sought to appease Hitler, Roosevelt ran for an unprecedented third term, the first
and only president ever to do so.
We will study these three consequential elections by using material from historians, newspapers, diaries,
campaign speeches, and memoirs. We will also consider the mood in the country as reflected in some of
the great movies of the '30s starring Jimmy Stewart, Humphrey Bogart, Fred Astaire, Henry Fonda and
others.
Requirements: students will give weekly class presentations and write one final paper.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: active participation in class discussions, class presentations, final paper
PREREQUISITES: none, but preference given to students with background in American history and
American political science
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference given to students with background in American history and American political science
COST PER STUDENT: $50
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Susan Dunn

LEAD 16 Leadership in the Non-Profit Sector: Pursuing a Mission, Building a Life
This course will study how non-profit executives have followed their passions and applied their leadership
skills to launch, grow, and/or sustain a broad range of non-profit organizations. The course is structured
as a series of case studies, involving presentations by executives and administrators representing arts,
service, and community organizations, including internationally notable institutions such as the New York
City Ballet, Carnegie Hall, and the Clark Art Institute, as well as regionally-focused organizations such as
the BART Charter School in Adams and the Berkshire Immigrant Center in Pittsfield. Class discussion
will be informed by assigned readings and organizational materials that focus on the administration, creative vision, financial management, fund raising, and public accountability needed for a non-profit to be
successful. Class discussions will also explore, absent the profit motive, what spurs a non-profit leader's
pursuit of excellence.
Class attendance is required. Students will be responsible for: (1) readings on the history, structure, and
growth of the American non-profit sector; and (2) readings and research on each organization under
study. Students will be expected to demonstrate acceptable preparation for class through class participation and familiarity with the assigned readings and other materials. After each class, the student will complete a brief evaluation of the non-profit and its executives, which will help inform evaluative judgments
made by the class on the organizations under study. A 10-page paper will be due by the last day of class
on a topic of the student's choice that evaluates a particular organization or common principles or traits
demonstrated by successful organizations.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: class participation and 10-page final paper
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference to juniors
COST PER STUDENT: $150
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTORS: Robert I. Lipp '60, Laurie Thomsen '79, and Mary Ellen Czerniak

Most of Mr. Lipp's professional career has been in insurance and banking, where he served in executive
positions at Travelers and Citigroup. He serves on a number of non-profit boards, including the New York
City Ballet and Carnegie Hall, and he is a trustee emeritus of Mass MoCA and Williams College. Mr. Lipp
earned an MBA at Harvard and a JD at NYU.

Laurie Thomsen's professional career is in corporate lending and venture capital. She currently serves as
a director of Travelers and MFS Mutual Funds. Ms. Thomsen serves on the boards of uAspire, KickStart
International, and Lever. She formerly served as a trustee of Williams College and of Horizons for Homeless Children in Boston, a member of the Visiting Committee of WCMA, and as an overseer of the Isabella
Stewart Gardner Museum. Ms. Thomsen received her MBA from Boston University.

Mary Ellen Czerniak has served as director of corporate and foundation relations at Williams College
since 1988. Her professional career has been spent in the non-profit sector, primarily in public relations
and development in health care and higher education. She is a graduate of DePaul University and the
University of Wyoming.

LEAD 18 Wilderness Leadership in Emergency Care
This Winter Study course is for students who would like to participate in a 9 day -72 hour comprehensive
hands on in-depth look at the standards and skills of dealing with: Response and Assessment, Musculoskeletal Injuries, Soft Tissue Injuries, Environmental Injuries, Medical Emergencies and Survival Skills.
Additional topics, such as CPR, are also included. Students will be required to successfully complete the
written and practical exam to receive credit and WFR/CPR certification.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: written and practical exam
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 24
METHOD OF SELECTION: submit a statement of purpose for why they want to take the course
COST PER STUDENT: $450
MEETING TIME: other; course runs a consecutive 9 days straight from 9AM - 5PM with one night time
rescue exercise
INSTRUCTOR: Scott Lewis

LEAD 24 Privacy and National Security(Same as PSCI 24)
See under PSCI for full description.

MARITIME STUDIES

MAST 25 The Geology and Climate History of Monterey Bay (Same as ENVI 26 and GEOS 25)(CANCELLED)
See under GEOS for full description

MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS

MATHEMATICS

MATH 11 A Taste of Austria (Same as GERM 11)
This course introduces students to elements of the Austrian culture around the turn of the 19th century up
to today. Students will learn and prepare presentations about significant contributions to the arts and
sciences from Austrians such as musician Gustav Mahler, artist Gustav Klimt, scientist Karl Landsteiner or
poet Stefan Zweig. Other activities include learning how to dance the Viennese waltz composed by Johann Strauss (in case you want to attend Austria's main annual society event, the Opernball in Vienna) or
how to prepare Wienerschnitzel or bake Sachertorte (the delicious cake offered by the Hotel Sacher in
Vienna). If time and weather permits, we will also pursue typical Austrian winter activities such as down
hill or cross country skiing, sledding or skating.
The course will be conducted mainly in English, with some German intermingled.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation will be based on attendance, a 10 page paper (including presentation slides) and a corresponding presentation on a topic with an Austrian connection (possible topics will
be suggested, but students can choose their own) and class discussions
PREREQUISITES: none although some knowledge of German is welcome
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 24
METHOD OF SELECTION: random selection
COST PER STUDENT: $30 (optional; Lift ticket plus equipment rental for skiing)
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Sophia Klingenberg

Sophia Klingenberg was born in Graz, Austria. She graduated from the Vienna University Medical School
with a doctorate in Medicine in 2004 and worked at the University of Florida, Dept. of Pathobiology as a
research scholar for three years. Currently, she is finishing her residency in general medicine in Graz,
Austria.

MATH 12 LEGO Adventures in Learning
This course is a modification of two previous winter studies I have done on the Mathematics of LEGO
bricks. Similar to that, we will use LEGO bricks as a motivator to talk about some good mathematics
(combinatorics, algorithms, efficiency); however, instead of trying to build a SuperStar Destroyer in a
world record time, we instead will partner with local schools to design and execute small units for students
at various grades. Partner schools include the Williamstown Elementary School and hopefully Mt Greylock Regional High School.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: presentations, feedback from teachers, and a write-up of the experience
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 25
METHOD OF SELECTION: students will be asked to provided additional information about background
and motivation, which will be used by the instructor, possibly in conjunction with teachers
COST PER STUDENT: $30
MEETING TIME: times will vary depending on the schools we visit.
INSTRUCTOR: Steven Miller

MATH 14 Malaria and Public Health: Past and Future
Malaria, an infection caused by Plasmodium parasites and transmitted by Anopheles mosquito, remains a
significant cause of mortality and morbidity. Nearly half the world population is at risk of infection and over
200 million cases occur each year, with nearly a million resulting in death. In this course, we will explore
the biology of the parasites and their hosts and discuss the major strategies currently being pursued to
control and eliminate the disease including drugs, vaccines and vector control. We will examine the complex role of malaria in the course of human history and highlight challenges faced in the ongoing endeavor for elimination and eradication.
Students will be asked to write a 10-page paper on a topic relating to malaria and to present on their topic
during the final week of class. There will be readings for each class and regular in-class participation is
expected.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation will be based on attendance and class participation. There will
also be a final 10-page paper and an in-class presentation
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference will be given to students with expressed interest in the course
based on a short essay of why they want to be in the class
COST PER STUDENT: None
MEETING TIME: mornings, TWR
INSTRUCTOR: Lauren Childs

Lauren M. Childs, Ph.D. is a researcher in the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. She uses mathematical modeling and quantitative analysis to
study the interactions of pathogens with the host immune response and the impact on disease transmission at a population level. Her work primarily focuses on the malaria parasite but also includes applications to other infectious diseases such as Ebola, HIV and tuberculosis.

MATH 16 Art Before Words
Many works of art (ballets, paintings, sculptures, films, music) have been inspired by works of literature. In
this course, we will flip this on its head. Each week you will explore a work of art -- without being acquainted with its source inspiration -- and write a creative response in the form of a short story or poem.
Then we will read the original literary inspiration for the work, and discuss the artist's choices in adapting
the text to a different medium. There will be weekly creative writing assignments, as well as readings;
there will not be a final project.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: weekly creative writing assignments; no final project
PREREQUISITES: an open mind
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: by short writing sample (an original poem or short story), submitted in advance
COST PER STUDENT: $30 (for books)
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Leo Goldmakher

MATH 17 Modern Dance - Muller Technique
This dance class will be based on the modern dance technique developed by Jennifer Muller, with whom I
danced professionally for 5 years in New York City and in Europe. Jennifer Muller was a soloist in the
dance company of José Limon before she started her own company in 1974. She has added her own
style of movement to the Limon technique, creating an expansive, free-flowing dance that is wonderful to
do and to watch. The class will be multi-leveled and open to both men and women alike. Students will
have the opportunity to choreograph a short piece either as a soloist or in small groups.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: attendance and on short performance at the end of winter study
PREREQUISITES: none--no previous dance experience necessary
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: selection will be based on the order that they sign up for the course as their
first choice
COST PER STUDENT: $0
MEETING TIME: 9-11 a.m. MWF and one additional 45-minute afternoon meeting each week
INSTRUCTOR: Sylvia Logan

Sylvia Logan received her B.A. in Slavic Literature from Stanford University. She danced professionally
with several dance companies including Jennifer Muller and the Works, a modern company based in New
York City for five years.

MATH 18 Wavelets and Image Processing
Image processing arises in a variety of problems such as adding filters to Instagram pictures and analyzing satellite pictures. In this class we will cover the basics of image processing and focus on one of the
main mathematical techniques used: wavelets. During the course, we will explore one of the most magical
aspects of image processing - image compression - and will learn the modern compression algorithm
JPEG 2000 and see how it drastically reduces the size of pictures without losing much detail.
Students will be asked to either write a 10-page paper on the mathematics of image processing or write a
computer program that implements image processing techniques that we will learn. During the last week
of class students will present their projects.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation will be based on attendance and class participation. There will
also be a final 10-page paper or a significant coding project and an in-class presentation
PREREQUISITES: MATH 250
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 18
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference will be given to those students that have taken analysis or some
computer science classes
COST PER STUDENT: $18 for renting a textbook or $125 if you prefer to buy it
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Eyvinndur Palsson

MATH 19 Our Singular Universe? (Same as PHYS 19)
The Universe, fascinating and wrapped in mystery. We are not sure where it came from, when or where it
began, what is it made of, or where or when (if ever) will it end. In fact, up until Albert Einstein formulated
his famous theory of general relativity, time and space were thought of as being separate quantities, not
intertwined together into what we now call space-time. In this winter study we discuss the most well-known theories for understanding the nature of the universe: general relativity, quantum mechanics, and
super string theory. The first two aim at explaining large and respectively small structures in the universe,
such as galaxies and stars, and atoms and quarks. Although many predictions from general relativity and
quantum mechanics have turned out to be true, these theories appear to be incompatible. However, string
theory, the newest of them all, says that they are not just compatible, but that one cannot stand without
the other. Through readings, videos, and discussions, we look at how this reconciliation may occur and
what are some of its possible implications. Another fascinating on-going debate concerns the nature of
black holes. Are they singularities on the fabric of space-time? In mathematical models of physical processes, singularities are, more often than not, regarded as a manifestation that your model is somewhat
incomplete, although there actually are physical quantities out there which become undefined before our
own eyes. Does all this mean that our universe is ill-natured? or could it be that black holes and singularities are natural features of it? In addition to these questions, we also discuss concepts such as the beginning of time, the eleven dimensions, parallel universes, a theory of everything, and dark matter and gravity.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: class participation, several short assignments, 10-page paper, presentations
PREREQUISITES: none; no previous mathematical or physics background necessary
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: selection will be based on brief email letter of interest
COST PER STUDENT: $60 for books
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Alejandro Sarria

Alejandro Sarria studies mathematical fluid dynamics, nonlinear partial differential equations, and evolution equations. He received his Ph.D. from University of New Orleans in 2012, was a Burnett-Meyer post-doctoral fellow at University of Colorado, Boulder, and is a two-year visiting assistant professor at Williams College.

MATH 25 Working with the Editor of the Notices of the American Mathematical Society
Students will work with the new editor on Notices, the flagship publication of the American Mathematical
Society, including recruiting, editing, and writing articles and working on the new website. A limited number of the students will attend the annual joint mathematics meetings January 6-9 in Seattle for an intense period of the work, travel provided. Meetings with instructor 6 hours per week, total work 20 hours
per week, more at joint meetings.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: work, reports, writing, editing, work on website
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 8
METHOD OF SELECTION: by application
COST PER STUDENT: $0
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Frank Morgan

MATH 30 Senior Project
To be taken by candidates for honors in Mathematics other than by thesis route.

MATH 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Mathematics 493-494.

STATISTICS

STAT 30 Senior Project
To be taken by candidates for honors in Statistics other than by thesis route.

STAT 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Statistics 493-494.

MUSIC

MUS 12 Gregorian Chant (Same as PSCI 12)
See under PSCI for full description

MUS 14 Classic American and European Musical Theatre
This Winter Study will give participants an opportunity to study and perform numbers for one or more
singers in great American musicals and European light operas. You have sung a solo, you have sung in
chorus--now practice the exacting art of singing an ensemble on stage. The course will culminate with a
performance of ensembles, solos, and duets from a variety of musical theater shows. Other ensembles
from European models may also be included. Singers, actors, and pianists are all welcome to participate. The course is intended especially for singers who wish to have some stage time, and for actors
who wish to work on their singing.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: a student may fulfill the requirements of the course by performing, writing a
10-page discursive paper, or some combination of the two approved by the teacher
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: the instructor will communicate with those wishing to register either in person
or via email
COST TO STUDENT: $0
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Keith Kibler

Keith Kibler has performed under some of the finest directors currently working including David Alden,
Peter Sellars, Galina Vishnevskaya. He sang a major role in Kurt Weill's "Die Kleine Mahagonny" under
Alvin Epstein with the American Repertory Theatre. He has been a featured soloist with the Boston Pops
in American theater music. Keith Kibler is an Associate Artist in the Music Department at Williams College. He can be reached at keith.kibler@williams.edu

MUS 15 Contemporary American Songwriting (Same as AMST 16)
This course will focus on learning how to write and perform songs in a contemporary style. Topics addressed will include song structure, how to create a lyric that communicates, vocal and instrument presentation, performing techniques, publicity for events, and today's music industry. This class will culminate
in a public performance of material written during the course. To successfully pass this course, students
are required to create, edit, perform and possibly record two original songs. These songs must be conceived during the course period (previously written material is not usable). Students will be guided to
create both music and lyrics. They may also be required to participate in a co-write session. At least one
of these songs will be presented during the final performance, preferably by the student. Attendance at
classes, feedback sessions, and all officially scheduled events is mandatory. A short writing assignment
based on the assigned reading will be passed in on the last day of class.
No pre-requisites. Students with a musical background and the ability to play and instrument may be given preference, but anyone interested is encouraged to register.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: attendance, final performance, and writing assignment
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 14
METHOD OF SELECTION: priority may be given to upperclassmen and those with musical experience
COST PER STUDENT: $40
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Bernice Lewis

With four decades as a national touring artist and seven acclaimed CD's, Singer/Songwriter Bernice Lewis has been teaching her Winter Study Course on performing and songwriting for two decades. She is
also a published poet, a producer, and a sought after coach. She is an Artist in Residence for the National
Park Service and the Artist Associate of Songwriting at Williams College. She holds an M.Ed from the
University of Massachusetts in Amherst. She's had a forty-year daily yoga practice, loves good coffee,
and her religion is the Grand Canyon. More at www.bernicelews.com

MUS 16 Zimbabwean Mbira and Marimba Experience
This course will provide a hands-on approach to playing Zimbabwean mbira and marimba. We will also
investigate the history of how these instruments found their way into the United States. Students will learn
to play basic songs on mbira and marimba including related instruments such as hosho (shakers) and
sung poetry. The course will explore how the marimba and mbira share repertoire and the mechanics of
the sound produced. We will aim to master three simple songs on karimba style mbira and another three
on marimba and will learn one song that combines the two instruments. Students will give a concert as a
final presentation for this winter study course. METHOD OF EVALUATION: presentation
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: those with a musical background or a simple audition
COST PER STUDENT: none
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Tendai Muparutsa

MUS 18 "Wherefore Art Thou?": Musical Explorations of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
The tale of the star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet is surely the Shakespearean story best established
in popular culture. Beyond the elements of romance and tragedy which it first brings to mind, the play Romeo and Juliet mixes low comedy, combat, songs, clowns, intrigue, and social commentary. Such a popular play has invited numerous and diverse musical treatments for over two centuries, with composers
seizing on various facets of the play according to their times and temperament. We will begin with a reading of the play itself, and then examine diverse treatments of the narrative including the dramatic symphony by Berlioz; selected scenes from romantic operas by Bellini, Gounod, and Delius; the orchestral overture by Tchaikovsky, the ballet by Prokofiev, and the Broadway musical West Side Story by Leonard
Bernstein. We will also consider film adaptations of the story, including the 1936 version directed by
George Cukor, the 1996 film directed by Baz Luhrmann, and the 2011 animated Gnomeo and Juliet, with
special attention to the cinematic use of music.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: based on class attendance and participation; and a 10-page paper
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20.
METHOD OF SELECTION: first-years and sophomores
Cost to student: $20 reading packet
MEETING TIME: three two-hour morning meetings per week
INSTRUCTOR: Jennifer Bloxam

MUS 24 Portrait of an Opera (Same as DANC 24)
How does a new opera production come together? This Winter Study Course will provide a hands-on opportunity to explore and document the creation of a new interdisciplinary opera about the fate of Lower
Manhattan in the 1960s, waged between the powerful urban builder, Robert Moses, and the activist and
urban theorist, Jane Jacobs. Students will reside in New York City for the duration of the Winter Study period, choosing a medium in which to document the rehearsals and conversations that inform the production's development. Potential media for documentation are photography, writing, video and drawing (or
other creative suggestions), reflecting the strong elements of music, poetry, dance, film, and animation
that are contained in the opera itself. Students will also attend a weekly response meeting and two rehearsals per week with two members of the opera's creative team: composer Judd Greenstein '01 and
choreographer Will Rawls '00. The opera will be in residence during the spring semester at Williams and
is slated for a full-length work-in-progress premiere at the '62 Center in March 2016.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: final project/presentation
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 6-10
METHOD OF SELECTION: seniority
COST PER STUDENT: $1,773.22
SCHEDULE:
January 4-8: initial orientation meetings in Williamstown (3 meetings)
January 10: travel to NYC via Peter Pan Bus (charter bus if attendance is sufficient), check in students to
hotel
January 11-23: attend opera rehearsals with Will Rawls and Judd Greenstein, as well as semi-weekly
group meetings to discuss both the production itself and students' documentation projects
January 24: students return to Williamstown via Peter Pan Bus (charter bus if attendance is sufficient)
January 24-26: students finish documentation projects
January 27-28: presentation of projects in class
INSTRUCTORS: Will Rawls `00 and Judd Greenstein `01

Will Rawls '00 is a choreographer and dancer;
Judd Greenstein '01 is a composer

MUS 25 The Calusa Indians of Southern Florida: The Cultural Legacy and Inspiration of an Extinct
Civilization
This travel course will focus on creative work inspired by the Calusa Indians, their history, and legacy. We
will discuss the history and culture of the Calusas, their society, politics, system of government, trading
customs, and religion. We will also talk about their construction of a canal system, and their architecture
and engineering. We will visit archaeological and historical sites, Research Centers, and Museums specialized in the Calusas in South West Florida. Calusa artifacts made with ceramic materials, wood carving, and painting, are recognized worldwide as remarkable examples of Native American artistic achievement. Samples of their art found during excavations in SW FL are part of exhibitions in the Historical
Museums that we will visit. Students will learn about music inspired by precolombian native american instruments and art, performed by a flutist/ composer specialized in Native American Music.
This course includes information about the estuaries, which with their rich bounty sustained the world of
the Calusas. Students will study and visit mudflats, mangrove forests, and sea grass beds that supported
the Calusa because so many of the animals they harvested for food lived, and found protection among
these natural resources. We will participate in workshops replicating the process of weaving plant-fiber
nets, and construction of some of their fishing artifacts, and will learn about the native plant material that
they used for meals, and for the creation of their utensils.
Students will arrive to their own conclusion about the impact the Calusas had in our culture and their
legacy. They will also use their experiences during field trips, workshops, lectures, and group discussions
as a source of inspiration for their creative work in one or more of the following fields: music composition,
visual arts (video, photography), and literature. They will create their projects individually or could form
teams to create interdisciplinary works. If team work is selected for the creation of a project there will be
a limit of one student per discipline in each team.
Field trips will be scheduled during the mornings. Some lectures will be schedule during afternoons and
evenings. Times not scheduled for lectures or field trips will be dedicated to study articles on The Calusas and the creation of individual or team creative work. Students will have a travel journal reflecting on
their experiences and their artistic response as they occur.
Students' projects in progress will be shared with members of the Pine Island Community, and once the
creative process is completed we will donate copies of the projects to the Randell Research Center. Creative projects will also be shared with the Williams College community after our return to Williams. Students will also write a four page paper describing how they integrated the knowledge acquired about the
Calusa Indians and their civilization into their creative projects.
Prior to our departure for FL students should have read the following book:
MacMahon, Darcie A. and Williams Marquardt 2004 "The Calusa and their Legacy: South Florida People
and their Environments" University Press of Florida, Gainesville.
PREREQUISITES: none
METHOD OF EVALUATION: creative project, travel journal, and 4 page paper as explained above
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 7
METHOD OF SELECTION: priority given to students interested in creating original work in response to
field trips and visits to Research Centers and Museums (musical, artistic, photography and/ or video, literary, drama/ theater)
COST PER STUDENT: $2,935.00
Preliminary Itinerary: January 4- Monday First meeting at Williams, Jan. 5 = Departure, January 28 Travel
back to Williams
INSTRUCTOR: Ileana Perez Velazquez

MUS 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Music 493, 494.

NEUROSCIENCE

NSCI 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Neuroscience 493-494.

PHILOSOPHY

PHIL 11 The Philosophy of Chess
Chess is one of the noblest and most fascinating of human endeavors. We will examine chess in many of
its facets: its history, philosophy and literature. We will look at the art of chess and the art that chess has
inspired. Above all, we will work together on improving our playing skills: we will study chess openings,
middle games and endgames, and engage in continual tournament play.
Prerequisites: All students should know the rules of chess and be able to read chess notation.
Enrollment limit: 20 If the class is overenrolled, students will be selected according to playing strength,
as indicated by USCF ratings, results in the College chess club, or other measures.
Meeting time: afternoons
METHOD OF EVALUATION: class participation and problem assignments
PREREQUISITES: all students should know the rules of chess and be able to read chess notation
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: if the class is overenrolled, students will be selected according to playing
strength
COST PER STUDENT: None
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Steven Gerrard

PHIL 12 Food for Thought
This course will examine the philosophical, political and historical factors that underpin the American diet,
how students' day-to-day food choices affect the future of human life on our planet, and provide students
with the basics of cooking. In part because I am a woman who broke through the ranks of a male-dominated profession, a corollary discussion will occur about how sex-differentiated roles in the procurement
and production of food came to be.
Part of the course structure will rely upon Michael Pollan's Cooked in which he discusses the four methods of cooking that have affected the quality of human life: fire, water, air and earth. Each week I will demonstrate a dish from each element, and we will sit down to enjoy the meal together, family style. This
structure will also allow us to talk about the history and role of manners. The first week (fire) we will roast
chicken and vegetables, the second week (water) we will make a soup, the third week (earth) we will enjoy a meal made with food that requires the fermentation process of the ground and the fourth week (air)
we will bake a cake and whip cream.
Second, we will consider the history of food and its effect on the quality of human life. How did the Andean potato contribute to the Irish famine? How did the humble cod lead to the first settlement of Massachusetts by the English, and what did this mean for the native population of New England? What is agribusiness and how is it different from agriculture?
Third, we will learn about the food traditions and land usage of Native Americans from New England, and
the effects the English arrival had on both. If weather permits we will visit Historic Deerfield for a demonstration of American colonial daily life and technology of the 1700s.
Finally, we will consider the effect our modern food choices have on the future of human life.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: students will be prepared to discuss four books, and write a research paper
on either the path food takes to arrive on our plate, or on a food tradition of their own, taking into consideration what we have studied
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: upper classmen will be selected first
COST PER STUDENT: $150
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Robin Lenz

Robin Lenz has a B.A., M.A. in Political Science, Berkeley; she is a French chef and former restaurant
owner who has taught winter study courses at Williams 1993-2000 and 2014

PHIL 13 Boxing
Boxing is one of the world's oldest sports, and there are 3000 year old artistic representations of boxing
from ancient Egypt. The history of boxing in the United States during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries reflects the history of the nation. Issues of class, ethnicity, race, and gender have played a central
role in the sport. Stories about boxing also play a central role in the popular culture. In this course we will
look at some treatments of boxing by social historians, examine some depictions of boxing in documentary and dramatic films, and watch some classic fights.
We will also learn some of the fundamental skills involved in boxing. Training as a boxer will give men and
women a better appreciation of the physical demands involved. Four days a week we will engage in an
intensive training regimen working on basic punching technique, footwork, defense and conditioning. The
workouts will involve minimal contact, but will be physically demanding. Students will need to purchase
boxing gloves, handwraps, and a jump rope.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: final paper, attendance at training sessions and evening events.
PREREQUISITES: none, but this will be quite physically demanding
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: seniority. expressed interest, interview or email
COST PER STUDENT: $150
MEETING TIME: mornings workouts; movies, discussions and seminars in the afternoon and evening
INSTRUCTOR: Keith McPartland

PHIL 15 Above Us Only Sky: Atheist Understandings of Reason, Morality and the Meaning of Life
Atheists are typically defined by "that which they are not": they do not believe in God, they do not think
that the universe was created by a powerful being for a good reason, the question about *the* purpose of
human life makes no sense to them, and they live their lives without hope of eternal salvation or fear of
eternal damnation. To enrich and deepen such a negative understanding of atheism, this course will explore the vibrant and diverse tradition of positive atheist thought in both theoretical and practical domains.
We will *not* consider arguments for and against atheism in this course. Rather, taking the atheist position
as our starting point, we will explore some aspects of atheist epistemology, metaphysics and moral philosophy, thus sketching a positive philosophical characterization of atheism. Specifically, we will consider the
following questions: What is the relationship between skepticism and atheism? Must an atheist have a
higher standard for justified belief than a theist? Should an atheist try to prove her position, should she try
to recommend it to theists, or should she treat her religious stance as a private matter? Since, for an
atheist, the natural world is all there is, how does she ever experience wonder at its beauty, the feeling of
the numinous, the sense of reverence for the universe? What is the source of atheists' morality? Must an
atheist be a moral relativist or a moral nihilist? Finally, how can an atheist find meaning in her life, contingent and short as it is? How can she find joy in it despite what she must perceive as pointless suffering?
The readings for this course will mainly be drawn from Western philosophy.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: class attendance, preparedness, and participation; three short papers (2-3
pages each); and a final paper (4-5 pages)
PREREQUISITES: none; open to first year students.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: priority will be given to philosophy majors, intended philosophy majors, and
students seriously committed to the course
COST PER STUDENT: about $40 for books
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Bojana Mladenovic

PHIL 16 Organ Transplantation: From Bioethics to Bioengineering (Same as BIOL 16)
Topics for discussion will be presented at a level that students with interests in ethics as well as medicine
and biology can be equally engaged. Students will form small groups for the development of a final debate style presentation related to a controversial topic in organ transplantation. Class participation and
this final presentation will serve as the objective material utilized for evaluation. The course will begin with
a broad overview of organ transplantation, and organ acquisition provided by the instructor to bring the
enrollees to a common level of understanding. We will then delve into topics that will include expansion of
the organ donor pool via presumed consent, living donation, payment for living donation, transplant tourism, transplantation from other species, and the development of bio-artificial organs for temporary or long
term organ replacement therapy. It is hoped that the pool of students enrolled will span from those with
interests in medicine and biology to those with interests in ethics, public health and government regulation
of medical practice in hopes of generating vigorous discussion from a number of view points.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: presentation
PREREQUISITES: none; no background in science required
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 16
METHOD OF SELECTION: through contact with the instructor to express interest, and with a mind to diversity of student academic background
COST PER STUDENT: none
MEETING TIME: mornings; three two hour meetings a week
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Carl Berg `82

Dr. Carl Berg, Williams '82, is Professor of Medicine at Duke and has just completed a term as President
of UNOS, the organization that manages the entire solid organ transplant system for the United States.
He is excited to be back in the Berkshires for his favorite term of the year.

PHIL 25 Eye Care and Culture in Nicaragua
During the first week, we will read about and discuss Nicaragua's history and current political situation.
Also, Professor Elise Harb (New England College of Optometry) will train the students in the course in
giving eye examinations. Then, we will fly to Nicaragua and spend around eleven days traveling to different communities in the Atlantic Coast region, where the need is greatest, administering eye examinations
and distributing glasses to people who have no other access to corrective eyewear. During our stay in
Nicaragua, each student will keep a journal, with daily entries. Robert Peck, former Athletic Director at
Williams, first taught this course thirteen years ago, and has been involved in it, usually as instructor, in
each successive year. He will be involved this year in various ways.
PREREQUISITES: None; not open to first-year students
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Participation throughout, and journals.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: Following the informational meeting in early September, students will submit
applications indicating why they want to be included.
COST: $3600
MEETING TIME: during first week, mornings
INSTRUCTORS: Alan White and Elise Harb

PHIL 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Philosophy 493-494.

PHYSICS

PHYS 10 Light and HolographyThis course will examine the art and science of holography. It will introduce modern optics at a level appropriate for a non-science major, giving the necessary theoretical background in lectures and discussion. Demonstrations will be presented and students will make several kinds of holograms in the lab.
Thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation, we have 7 well-equipped holography darkrooms
available for student use. At the beginning of WSP, the class will meet for lecture and discussion three
mornings a week and for lab 2 afternoons a week. The later part of the month will be mainly open laboratory time during which students, working in small groups, will conduct an independent project in holography approved by the instructor. Attendance at lectures and laboratory is required.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Students will be evaluated on the basis of regular attendance, completion of
4 laboratory exercises, and a holography laboratory project (approved by the instructor) with a poster presentation to the class at the end of WSP. Attendance at all classes and labs is required for a passing
grade.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 30.
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference to students with no physics above Physics 109; then seniors, juniors, sophomores and first-years
COST PER STUDENT: $50 for holographic film and chemicals.
MEETING TIME: lectures will be in the morning, labs will be in the afternoon. A detailed schedule will be
circulated to students who sign up for this course. Students who cannot attend the required sessions will
be advised to select a different course as it is not possible to achieve a passing grade without being able
to attend the classes and laboratories.
INSTRUCTORS: Kevin Jones and Kevin Forkey

PHYS 12 Drawing as a Learnable Skill
Representational drawing is not merely a gift of birth, but a learnable skill. If you wanted to draw, but have
never had the time to learn; or you enjoy drawing and wish to deepen your understanding and abilities,
then this course is for you. This intensive course utilizes traditional drawing exercises to teach representational drawing. By using simple techniques and extensive exercises you will develop your ability to accurately see and realistically represent the physical world. You will learn to draw a convincing portrait, interior, and still life. This course is designed to develop your powers of observation and teach creative
problem solving abilities. Students need no previous artistic experience, just the willingness and desire to
learn. Students will be expected to attend and participate in all sessions. They will also be required to
keep a sketchbook recording their progress and complete a final project.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluations will be based on participation, effort, and development.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 18
METHOD OF SELECTION: based on seniority
COST PER STUDENT: $8.00
MEETING TIME: Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10:00 until 12:45, with substantial additional independent student work. There will be an exhibition of coursework on the final day of Winter Study.
INSTRUCTOR: Stella Ehrich Brownstein

Stella Ehrich is a professional painter whose work includes portraits, landscapes and still life subjects.
She studied for seven years at Studio Simi in Florence, holds an MFA in painting from Bennington College and a BFA from the Memphis Academy of Art.

PHYS 14 Electronics
Electronics are indispensable parts of modern laboratory work throughout the sciences. this course will
cover the basics of analog electronics circuits, including transistors and operational amplifiers, and will
briefly introduce digital circuits. Class will include a mixture of lab, lecture, and discussion, providing ample opportunity for hands-on experience. Students will build and test a variety of circuits chosen to illustrate the kinds of electronic devices and design problems a scientist is apt to encounter. In the last week,
students will design and build a final project, or will write a 10-page paper.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluation will be based on participation, completion of both laboratory work
and occasional homework, and the quality of the final project or paper.
PREREQUISITES: Mathematics 140 or equivalent calculus. No prior experience with electronics is required.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 16
METHOD OF SELECTION: priority given to seniors first, first-years last
COST PER STUDENT: $90
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTORS: Tiku Majumder and Priyangi Wickramarachchi

PHYS 16 3-D CNC Machining: CAD, CAM and Multi-axis Milling
Advanced manufacturing technology is the foundation of many products that affect our lives and our economy. Sophisticated tools for design and fabrication have become widely available and lower in cost. In this
course, we will use state-of the-art 3D CAD (computer-aided design) software to model a variety of objects. Using CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) software, we will prepare models for machining. We
will fabricate objects from metal and plastic using the Haas CNC Mill in the Bronfman Science Shop with
up to 5-axis simultaneous machining capability.
To gain further understanding of the impact of advanced manufacturing on jobs and the economy, we will
visit several companies and institutions in New England that use advanced manufacturing technologies to
create parts for industries such as aerospace and medical devices. At the conclusion of the class students will present their work in an "open-house" session in the machine shop.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Participation, quality and precision of final project.
PREREQUISITES: Prior workshop experience helpful but not absolutely required
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 6
METHOD OF SELECTION: Preference based on one-paragraph explanation of student's interest in the
course.
COST PER STUDENT: 50
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Michael Taylor

Michael Taylor is an engineer and inventor with 30 years of experience in product development and
manufacturing. Broad-based hands-on mechanical and electrical fabrication skills. Experienced in 3D
CAD CAM and rapid proto-typing. Owns and operates a product development and consumer products
company. Full-time college employee in the Bronfman Science Shop. B.S./M.S in Engineering Sciences
(Univ. of Florida)

PHYS 18 Wood and Woodturning
Woodturning - the use of a lathe to sculpt cylindrically symmetric objects from wood - dates to antiquity,
with turned objects appearing in furniture, architecture, and art through the ages. This course will
introduce the basic concepts of woodturning, including lathe and tool safety, tool selection, and techniques for shaping both side grain and end grain. We will use gouges, chisels, and scrapers to turn a variety of projects like finger tops, carving mallets, bowls, pens, etc. from several different species of wood.
Along the way we will also discuss several topics related to wood and woodworking such as sharpness
and sharpening, the metallurgy of hardening and tempering, moisture and wood movement, and forestry.
We will meet for at least 12 hours weekly for lecture, discussion, turning demonstrations, and individual
work on projects. Students will also complete short outside readings and research for a final paper.
No previous experience is required; however, students with patience, good fine-motor skills, and some
imagination will find the course most rewarding.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: class participation, exhibition of woodturnings, and a 10-page paper
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 6-12, depending on equipment availability
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference given to Juniors, Sophomores, and those who express the most
and earliest interest by e-mail to Professor Doret.
COST PER STUDENT: 150
MEETING TIME: 9:00 am - noon, M-F
INSTRUCTOR: Charlie Doret

PHYS 19 Our Singular Universe? (Same as MATH 19)
See under MATH for full description

PHYS 22 Research Participation
Several members of the department will have student projects available dealing with their own research or that of current senior thesis students. Approximately 35 hours per week of study and actual research participation will be expected from each student.
Students will be required to keep a notebook and write a 5-page paper summarizing their work. Those interested should consult with members of the department as early as possible in the registration period or before to determine details of projects then expected to be available.
Prerequisites: permission of instructor.Enrollment limit: 1 or 2 per project.
Cost: $0.
Meeting time: to be arranged with instructor.
TUCKER-SMITH and members of the department

PHYS 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Physics 493, 494.

POLITICAL ECONOMY

POEC 19 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) (Same as ECON 19)
See under ECON for full description

POEC 21 Fieldwork in Public Affairs and Private Non-Profits (Same as PSCI 21)
See under PSCI for full description

POEC 23 Institutional Investment
The Williams College Investment Office, based in Boston, is seeking three sophomores or juniors to join
its team for four weeks in January 2016. The $2.3 billion endowment plays a major role in supporting the
operations of the College, and the role of the Investment Office is to manage the investments of that $2.3
billion and develop a critical understanding of markets and investment managers in order to provide the
best financial support possible to the College. What is it?This unique opportunity is a structured program designed to provide students with an overview of endowment and investment management. Through formal training and project work, Winter Study Analysts will
gain a better understanding of how an institutional investment portfolio is managed and how investment
managers are selected and monitored. Students will learn about global equities, hedge funds, venture
capital, buyouts, commodities, real estate, and fixed income. Exposure will cut across U.S. and non-U.S.
markets, both developed and emerging. Winter Study Analysts will sharpen their professional skills and
have the opportunity to meet investment professionals from across the investment industry.
Students are expected to work at the office for a minimum of 32 hours a week (four days/week), complete
a set of relevant readings, keep a journal, and present a final project. No prerequisites are required.When is it?The Winter Study Analyst program will be based in Boston and will run for four weeks during Winter
Study.Where is it? The Winter Study Analyst program will be based in the Investment Office in Boston, MA and housing will
be provided for the Analysts.How do students apply?To apply for enrollment, please select this course (WS POEC 23) as your first choice when registering for
Winter Study. Additionally, please send an email with your resume and a cover letter discussing why you
are interested in this course and what you hope to gain from it to: investmentoffice@williams.edu by 11:59
PM ET on Sunday, October 11, 2015. Enrollment limit: 3. If oversubscribed, students will be selected via
phone interviews.
What does it cost?
Low/no-cost housing and class related materials (i.e. books and articles) will be provided by the Investment Office. Students are responsible for the cost of food, incidentals, and transportation to and from
Boston at the beginning and end of the month.Instructors?This Winter Study Class is taught by the investment team that staffs the Williams College Investment Office. The three lead instructors for the program for January 2016 are Collette Chilton (Chief Investment
Officer), Abigail Wattley (Director), and Annie Jeong (Investment Analyst). The entire Investment Office
staff is integrally involved and supportive of the program and students will interact regularly with all team
members.

Collette Chilton, Chief Investment Officer - Collette joined Williams College in October 2006. Prior to joining Williams, Collette was President and Chief Investment Officer at Lucent Asset Management Corporation from 1998 to 2006. While at Lucent, Collette was responsible for the investment and oversight of
approximately $40 billion in pension and retirement savings assets for the company. Collette received a
Bachelor of Science degree in Political Economy of Natural Resources from the University of California,
Berkeley in 1981 and a Masters of Business Administration from the Amos Tuck Graduate School of Business at Dartmouth College in 1986.

Abigail Wattley, Director - Abigail rejoined Williams College in September 2010 as an Investment Associate. From 2007 to 2008 Abigail worked in the Williams Investment Office in the role of Investment Analyst. Prior to working for Williams, Abigail worked as a Senior Consulting Associate at Cambridge Associates. Abigail received a B.A. in Economics from Williams College in 2005 and a Masters of Business
Administration from the Harvard Business School in 2010.

Annie Jeong, Investment Analyst - Annie joined the Williams Investment Office in July 2014. She received a B.A. in History from Williams College in 2014. During her time at Williams, Annie was involved
with the Eph Business Association, and played the flute in the Berkshire Symphony, Wind Ensemble, and
chamber music groups.

What if I have questions?

If you would like to learn more about the endowment you can find our investment report at: http://investment.williams.eduIf you have questions you can email us at Investmentoffice@williams.edu
INSTRUCTORS: Collette Chilton, Abigail Wattley and Annie Jeong

POEC 31 Honors Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Political Economy 493.

POLITICAL SCIENCE

PSCI 10 The East is Red?-Socialism in Asia (Same as ASST 12 and HIST 12)See under ASST for full description

PSCI 12 Gregorian Chant (Same as MUS 12)
Recordings of monastics singing Gregorian chant have been topping American and European classical
and pop music charts for twenty years. The popular computer game Halo integrates Gregorian chant into
its soundscape. HBO has made millions not only from Lena Dunham's "Girls" but also off a documentary on Austrian monks who sing the chant for hours every day.
This course invites you to discover the magic of Gregorian chant for yourself by singing it. We will spend
the bulk of our time together singing. To support that singing, we will learn chant notation, a smattering of
music theory and ecclesiastical Latin pronunciation, the history of Gregorian chant, and its place in the
Catholic Church today. We'll also watch a few documentaries on the most popular contemporary monastic recording groups. A field trip to a nearby abbey or monastery which sings the chant as part of everyday community life is possible.
No prior choral experience is necessary or expected.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: attendance, participation, written movie review, final small-group singing
project
PREREQUISITES: an ability to match pitch (I sing a note, you sing it back) and a tolerance for traditional
Catholic spirituality
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 30
METHOD OF SELECTION: passion and prior singing experience
COST PER STUDENT: no more than $100
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Darel Paul

PSCI 13 National Security, Government Secrecy, and the Politics of Conspiracy Theories
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you. This course explores the politics of
conspiracy theories from the Roswell UFO incident to the assassination of John F. Kennedy to claims that
the U.S. government orchestrated the 9/11 terrorist attacks. What political purposes might conspiracy
theories serve? Who believes these theories, and why? While many conspiracy theories bear little resemblance to reality, history demonstrates that governments do keep secrets - and have lied to their publics - in the name of national security. How, then, do we distinguish fiction from fact, political propaganda
from truth? And what are the ramifications for democratic accountability and governance? Students will
watch films and read serious academic work on conspiracy theories and government secrecy. Each student will also research and write a 10-page paper on a conspiracy theory of their choice, evaluating the
political causes and political effects of the alternative narrative.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 10-page paper, class discussion
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 30
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference to seniors
COST PER STUDENT: approximately $100 for books
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Rosemary Kelanic

PSCI 14 The CIA and the Politics of Intelligence
This course will trace the evolution of CIA from an organization largely focused, in its early days, on coups
and regime change under the Dulles brothers, to its present role in the war on terror and beyond. Students will consider how intelligence is and ought to be gathered, and the political issues that emerge from
those activities. Some of the Agency's signal successes and failures will be examined, and some of its
directors will be evaluated. The fluctuating relationship between CIA and the FBI will also be discussed.
Stress will be placed on the personal experiences of those who have served in the Agency.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation will include class attendance and participation, and a short, retrospective paper on the course and its content.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference to Political Science majors and Leadership Studies concentrators
COST PER STUDENT: $50
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Donald Gregg

Donald Gregg served in CIA from 1951-82, worked in the White House from 1979-89, and was US Ambassador to South Korea from 1989-93. He is now chairman emeritus of The Korea Society. 1980-89,
taught a second-year graduate level course at the Master of Science in Foreign Service Program of
Georgetown University. He is now chairman of the Pacific Century Institute in Los Angeles.

PSCI 15 This Land
"From the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters," Woody Guthrie sang, "this land was made for you
and me." Whether or not Guthrie's populism was correct, his geography certainly is: "this land" spreads
far and wide-along the Taconic Range and out through the Rust Belt, over the High Plains and down the
Cascades, across the Great Basin and back toward Dixie-encompassing a panoply of not only topographical features but also communal dispositions and individual identities that is, as Nathaniel Hawthorne once said, "too vast by far to be taken into one small human heart." So what exactly animates this
land? How do its locations-its bayous and buildings, its beauty and blight-shape American culture and
define American citizens? In what sorts of ways do they belong to you and me, and in what sorts of ways
do they shape you and me? Inspired by the work of Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist
Dan Barry, who writes-and writes beautifully-the paper's popular "This Land" series, this is a course
about (re)discovering the places we live and the characters who populate them. We'll read lots of work
from Barry (who may join us for a day as a sort of writer-in-residence) himself as well as other pieces of
long-form literary journalism and ethnographic writing on similar themes by writers ranging from Bill Bryson to Joan Didion, John McPhee to Gretel Ehrlich. And, of course, we'll try our hand at some writing-
whether short and snappy or longer and more luxurious, exploring vistas or examining personalities, making sense of change or meditating on constancy-along the way, as we observe, imagine, and recreate
the varied crossroads and corners that give rise to the most provocative and most poignant stories of daily life in contemporary America.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: class participation and varied writing assignments totaling 12-15 pages in
all
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference to students with expressed or demonstrated interest in American
travel, geography, ethnography, culture, or journalism
COST PER STUDENT: approximately $50 for books, a course packet, and perhaps modest incidentals
(gas, meals) from optional local travel
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Justin Crowe

PSCI 16 Waging Peace: Aikido as a tool for Personal & Political Reconciliation
Peace, whether between countries, between communities, between individuals, or within one's own
psyche - never happens by accident, but always as the direct result of strategically sophisticated efforts
over time. This course will use martial arts training to introduce students to strategies and methods that
can help forge peace between people or nations - strategies that will then be applied with an academic
focus on peacemaking within the very challenging circumstances surrounding Israel and Palestine.
The martial arts training will be every morning in Currier Ballroom, and will be in Aikido - a Japanese martial tradition that combines the samurai arts of sword and grappling with the philosophical desire to manifest harmony in the face of conflict. As such, Aikido addresses situations of conflict that manifest themselves physically, but also offers insight into how to prevent or redirect the energies--social, political, or
psychological--that might otherwise become conflict in one or another aspect of our lives. The physical
training will improve each student's strength, balance, posture, and flexibility. Everyone will also learn how
to throw their friends across the room. About 25% of training time will be devoted to sword, staff, and dagger techniques.
The academic component of the course, meeting in smaller groups over lunch twice a week, will address
how the physical movements learned each morning embody principles and tactics that can achieve the
goal of reconciliation in both psychological and political realms. Students will each have one personal and
one group goal in the academic sessions. In the psychological realm, each student will spend time over
the month of January understanding personal reconciliation by working to heal one personal relationship
(with a sibling, a parent, a former friend, etc.) - an effort they will chronicle in a private journal.
Addressing the topic of political reconciliation, students will dive into the politics of the Israeli/Palestinian
relationship. Half the students will research the history from the Arab perspective, and half will research
from the Jewish perspective. All students will read Rabbi Lerner 's Embracing Israel/Palestine: A Strategy
to Heal and Transform the Middle East. First week group meetings will be all the Arab representatives together, and then all the Jewish representatives. The second week and third week classes will be split half
of each group meeting with half the other - looking to find the issues on which agreement can be forged.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: students will be evaluated on the quality of their participation in both physical and intellectual course components (class discussions, a reconciliation journal, final project)
PREREQUISITES: same physician's approval on file as the school requires to participate on sports
teams. Students do not have to be especially athletic, and in Aikido women train as equals with men.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: If course over-subscribes, selection will be made via a questionnaire.
COST PER STUDENT: approximately $170 for uniform, wooden training weapons, books, etc.
MEETING TIME: other
EXPLANATION OF MEETING TIME: Aikido sessions from 10-12; academic classes typically over lunch
and occasional evenings
INSTRUCTOR: Robert Kent

Robert Kent '84 spent 3 years in Kyoto, Japan earning his Sho Dan (first degree black belt), directly after
majoring in both Philosophy and Religion at Williams. He currently holds a Yon Dan rank (Fourth degree
black belt) and serves as President of Aiki Extensions, a nonprofit that supports programs that bring the
strategic insights and practical wisdom of Aikido into non-traditional settings. He is also founder of The
PeaceCamp Initiative (a scholarship program that seeks to use Aikido principles to heal the Israeli/Palestinian conflict a few kids at a time) for which he won Ben & Jerry's 2008 Peace Pioneer Prize. He earned
a Masters degree in Philosophy at Claremont Graduate School in 1993, writing his thesis on the Ethics of
Authenticity. This will be the 10th time he has offered an Aikido-based Winter Study course.

PSCI 17 Pope Francis and the Problem of Evil
Why does the "Pope of joy" speak so often about the prince of darkness? This colloquy explores the mind and impact of Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio), who has been called the most astutely political Argentine since Perón. Students will be encouraged to wrestle with the perennial questions of God and human suffering with the aid of Francis' perspective. Reflecting on the drama of good versus evil will shed light on how and why the Jesuit pontiff weighs in on economics, social justice, and ecology. This dialogue provides a platform for students to both express themselves and listen empathically to others. There will be three types of weekly class meetings:plenary meetings, small group discussions, and visits to the Berkshire Food Project. Invited guests to the plenary meetings include: Austen Ivereigh (commentator and papal biographer) & Erika Bachiochi (lawyer and scholar).
METHOD OF EVALUATION: reading and writing assignments, class participation, and community service will culminate in a self-reflective presentation
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 25
METHOD OF SELECTION: first years will be given preference, then sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
COST PER STUDENT: $50 (books)
MEETING TIME: other; schedule will vary to facilitate field trips but generally fall in the 11:00AM -
2:00PM period
INSTRUCTOR: Michael Sheehan

In the span of three months, Father Michael F. Sheehan, FPO, went from a Spandex Ephs speedsuit to a
wool Franciscan tunic. A PSCI/IR major at Williams (2003), he is now a Catholic priest in Boston and a
friar of the Franciscans of Primitive Order in Roxbury.

PSCI 18 The Politics and Law of the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
What does the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution establish? It states: A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be
infringed. Two broad, rival positions were staked out early on the meaning of the 2nd Amendment. On
the one hand, there is the "collectivist view," well-articulated by political groups such as the Brady Campaign and Handgun Control, Inc., and by Garry Wills (a reading), that the Amendment establishes only a
collective, statewide right, and not an individual right to keep and bear arms. There is the rival claim, let's
label it the "individualist view," most vigorously represented by the National Rifle Association and Gun
Owners of America, and well articulated by John Ashcroft, George W. Bush's Attorney General (in a reading), that the Amendment establishes an individual right to gun ownership. The collectivist view has long
been the "conventional view" of sociologists, political scientists, and most law faculty. A "revisionist and
individualist view" that is more supportive of an individual's right to possess and carry guns has grown in
recent years, a view that has been fueled by a number of scholars in law, economics, and history. Some
"middle-ground positions" have been awkwardly carved out recently in light of two important U.S. Supreme Court cases. The Court in the "Heller decision" appears to have settled the argument for once and
for all. However, as we will discover, Heller advanced the argument, but it did not settle it. The argument
was further extended by the Court in McDonald v. Chicago. Neither Heller nor McDonald settled the issue; each unleashed many more court cases and unfolding political action. We conclude the seminar by
discussing developing consequences of Heller and McDonald both in the courts and in the states' legislatures.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: series of short papers
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 30
METHOD OF SELECTION: seniors and juniors given first preference
COST PER STUDENT: $100
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Richard Winters

Richard Winters taught at Dartmouth College for 43 years and retired in 2012 as the Williiam Clinton Story
Remsen Class of '43 Professor of Government.

PSCI 19 Law as a Tool for Social Justice
The law is a powerful tool to attain goals of social justice. It may be deployed in different ways: through
the use of the judicial system, by the enactment of legislation, and at times through the ballot. Racial justice, justice for the impoverished, and justice for same-sex couples, and reform of the criminal justice system are the goals dealt with by the course
materials; however, the course will focus more on the legal process and the courses of action to achieve
them. While the materials impart knowledge of the legal system and courtroom practice, the course always will view the law and its evolution in the context of the larger political, social and economic settings
of the time. While at times the law will have a heroic cast, the course also will examine the limitations of its
use as a tool for social justice due to overriding societal obstacles.
The course begins with Devil in the Grove which won the Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction in 2013 and centers on a highly publicized rape case in 1949 Florida involving three young black men who are defended
against the charge of raping a white woman by Thurgood Marshall of the NAACP at risk to his life. The
book illustrates how the use of the courts brought national attention to the outrages of racial injustice in
1949 Florida. Marshall took the case knowing that he would lose at the trial level since, ironically, state
law in the deep South was a tool for racial injustice. However, Marshall knew that as the case progressed
on appeal to the federal level, to the Supreme Court, the chance for justice meaningfully would increase.
A key point to be adduced from this book is that taking this kind of case, regardless of outcome, paved
the longer road to a greater national awareness and understanding of the need to rectify horrific racial
injustice. The case may be seen in a larger context as one of the stepping stones to Brown v. Board and
the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The second book is Gideon's Trumpet, the classic account by Anthony Lewis of the establishment of the
right of a pauper to be provided with legal counsel in all state felony cases. The book elegantly describes
the structure of our Federal system, dwelling on the tension between the rights reserved to the states and
the umbrella of protection provided to individuals by the Bill of Rights. The book instructs how the law
evolves over time in the larger and changing political and socio-economic contexts. It recounts how the
brilliant Abe Fortas took up pro bono the case of the destitute Clarence Gideon and persuaded a receptive
Supreme Court to set a new legal precedent of great significance to paupers charged with serious crimes.
The third book is Winning Marriage, The Inside Story of how Same-Sex Couples Took on the Politicians
and Pundits - and Won (2014) by Marc Solomon. The book narrates the incredibly successful effort by
those in the LGBT community and their allies to win for same-sex couples the right to marry in numerous
jurisdictions over a relatively short time commencing in 2003. The book focuses on the gritty political
battles in MA and NY, and ultimately moves to the federal level, chronicling the victory in overturning the
Defense of Marriage Act, and the success in obtaining the eventual backing of same-sex marriage by the
President. In this book we see the law used as a tool for justice in the courts, in the legislatures, and also
at the ballot box. !
The fourth book is Just Mercy (2014, a NY Times Notable Book), a moving account by Bryan Stevenson, of his establishment, in the deep south, of the non-profit Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), which has served inmates on Death Row who have been convicted wrongfully, children who have been unjustly sentenced to life imprisonment without paole, and mentally disabled persons who have received excessive punishment. The EJI also has fought for other reforms of the system, such as preventing the placement of convicted children into adult prisons. This is not an abstract books; it deals with individual wrenching cases of injustice handled by the author.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 10 page paper
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: seniors given first preference
COST PER STUDENT: $70 for books
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Richard Pollet

Richard Pollet graduated from Williams in 1969, cum laude, with Honors in Political Science, and thereafter obtained a J.D. from Columbia Law. He spent 40 years practicing law, the last 26 as General Counsel
of J.Walter Thompson (JWT), retiring from the company last June. He now does some legal consulting,
which primarily consists of teaching/mentoring newly hired lawyers of WPP, the parent company of JWT.

PSCI 21 Fieldwork in Public Affairs and Private Non-Profits (Same as POEC 21)
This course is a participant-observation experience in which students work full-time for a governmental
or nongovernmental (including voluntary, activist, and grassroots) organization or for a political campaign.
Students may find placements in government and nonprofit organizations in which their work involves significant involvement with public issues. Examples include: town government offices; state or federal administrative offices (e.g., environmental agencies, housing authorities); interest groups that lobby government (e.g., ACLU, NRA); nonprofit organizations such as service providers or think tanks (e.g., Habitat for
Humanity, Cato Institute); and grassroots, activist or community development organizations (e.g., Greenpeace or neighborhood associations). The instructors will work with each student to arrange a placement;
such arrangements must be made in advance of the Winter Term. Students should first make their own
contracts with an institution or agency. The instructors and members of the Political Science Department
are available to help students find placements, if necessary. Each student's fieldwork mentor shall send a
confirmation letter to the instructor verifying the placement and describing the nature of the work to be
performed by the instructor, and write a final paper summarizing and reflecting upon the experience. A
group meeting of all students will occur after winter study to discuss the experience.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 90 hours of fieldwork; satisfactory evaluation from the institutional sponsor;
10-page final paper or equivalent; participation in final meeting. A t the time of preregistration, interested
students should send a resume and letter of interest to Paula Consolini.
PREREQUISITES: None
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 30
METHOD OF SELECTION: Selection will be based on a resume and letter of interest
COST PER STUDENT: approximately $15 for readings, student covers transportation costs to and from
internship site
MEETING TIME: some meetings will take place prior to Winter Study and at the end, as students are off-site in internships during the term.
INSTRUCTOR: Paula Consolini

PSCI 22 Learning Intervention For Teens (Same as JLST 22)
This course pairs energetic Williams students with adolescents involved in the Juvenile Court System of
Berkshire County. Judges can assign teens to this alternative sentencing program--this is certified as an
official Commonwealth of Massachusetts probation program-- their absence from or misbehavior in
schools has been a central feature of their delinquency. The goal of this program is to give these teens
the experience that learning can be fun, can center on topics that matter to them, and can be empowering. If the teens see school as something other than a form of incarceration, they will be motivated to stay
there and to succeed. Each Williams student helps a teen investigate, develop a report on, and present
their conclusions about a topic of the teen's choosing. In the past these have ranged from Michael Jordan
v. Kobe Bryant: who is the best all-time shooting guard? to the Distinctions among Ghosts, Poltergeists,
Shades and Spirits, to the causes of teen methamphetamine use, and more than once have featured
those frogs that squirt blood from their eyes. The course ends with a presentation in which each adolescent/Williams student pair formally presents its work via PowerPoint to an audience that includes the
Berkshire County Juvenile Court judges and probation officers, city chiefs of police, County District Attorney and assistant DAs, the teens' peers and families, Williams faculty and community members. Williams
students gain experience serving in an official capacity, learn to teach and motivate challenging teens,
and gain insight into the causes of and solutions to the incidence of juvenile crime. Williams students are
expected to read relevant training materials, meet with their teens three times a week, give a final presentation, and keep a weekly journal detailing their meetings.
In order to enroll in the course, all students must write a paragraph explaining why they want to take the
course. Students should email their paragraphs to January '16 student coordinators Hannah Levin hfl1@williams.edu and Audrey Thomas aat1@williams.edu and cc: cshanks@williams.eduMETHOD OF EVALUATION: a final presentation given with their teen and a reflection paper on the
course
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: students will be selected based on a paragraph of interest
COST PER STUDENT: $0
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTORS: Cheryl Shanks and Michael Wynn

Mike Wynn is the Chief of the Pittsfield Police Department and graduated from Williams in 1993.

PSCI 23 Affordable Housing in Massachusetts (Same as ECON 23)(CANCELLED)
Massachusetts enacted the "anti-snob zoning act" (GL 40B, an affordable housing statute) in 1969 to provide relief from the exclusionary zoning bylaws and practices that inhibited the development of affordable
housing in Massachusetts. This course looks at the different constituencies with a stake in this act--its
success, failure, or interpretation--and examines how the act has been implemented and fought over
since its passage. The Town of Amherst provides a core case study. Students will do group projects
comparing this outcome with that in other municipalities in the state, including visiting a local city or town
and researching how the municipality has handled affrdable housing issues. (Williamstown is currently
hosting construction projects that include affordable housing, one close to the college tennis courts; the
town select board rejected two others in 2014.)
METHOD OF EVALUATION: formal oral presentation accompanied by a polished written report of at least
2500 words
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: by seniority
COST PER STUDENT: $50, materials ans some travel expenses
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Alexander Sands (Cheryl Shanks, sponsor)

Alexander Sands has been a trial judge for the Massachusetts Land Court for 13 years. He has written a
number of decisions and an article involving GL 40B, including a case of first impression relative to the
interpretation of the statute. Judge Sands is a graduate of Williams College and the University of Virginia
Law School.

PSCI 24 Privacy and National Security(Same as LEAD 24)
In the “old days,” privacy seemed a relatively simple concept, the “right to be let alone,” especially under the common law principle that “an Englishman’s home is his castle.” Even then, the concept was controversial, difficult to define, and raised national security issues: could criminals, spies, or revolutionaries hide under the protection of rights granted by a free society, undermining the state’s core ability to provide security? Today, assessing trade-offs between privacy and national security seems even harder. Modern conveniences encourage us to give away data about ourselves, and new communications and data analysis technologies may have changed citizens’ “reasonable expectation” of privacy. Meanwhile, terrorists and foreign agents may be able to do ever more damage, if they keep their plots secret until their fruition, raising the national security stakes. But some citizens also fear that state security institutions are less accountable and increasingly endanger their rights, meaning that privacy is also more valuable than it used to be. Edward Snowden’s revelations of the extent of government surveillance in the War on Terror caused a firestorm in both domestic politics and foreign affairs, and the idea of privacy as a right has become widely accepted, as we can see in the rapid sea change in views on social issues like gay rights. This course will help students understand the stakes; moral, political, and legal arguments; and evidence about the value of privacy and its implications for security in a modern, free society. Students will read and discuss key texts, and each student will also research and write a 10-page paper on a specific privacy controversy of her/his choice.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 10-page paper, class discussion
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference to Political Science majors and Leadership Studies concentrators
COST PER STUDENT: approximately $35 for books
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Eugene Gholz

Eugene Gholz is the Stanley Kaplan Visiting Professor of American Foreign Policy at Williams College. He works primarily at the intersection of national security and economic policy, on subjects including innovation, defense management, and U.S. foreign policy. He served as a senior advisor in the Pentagon from 2010-2013.

PSCI 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Political Science 493-494.

PSCI 32 Individual Project
To be taken by students registered for Political Science 495 or 496.

PSYCHOLOGY

PSYC 12 Alcohol 101: Examining and Navigating the College Drinking Scene
Seventy-two percent of college students report that they used alcohol at least once within the past 30
days. Where is the line between fun and danger? This course will examine the realities of the role of alcohol in the social lives of college students. Students will engage in active discussions of readings, videos, and myths vs. facts, as well as personal observations and opinions. Class structure will involve
3-hour classes that meet twice weekly. Participants will learn scientific facts about alcohol, including how
it gets metabolized in the body differently in men and women, and how to recognize and respond to the
signs of alcohol poisoning. Films will include evocative footage and interviews, such as "College Binge
Drinking and Sober Reflections." We will hear from an expert in trauma and sexual assault and explore
the significant role of alcohol in sexual assault on college campuses. We will discuss alcohol-related
medical emergencies and problem-solve strategies to stay safe when choosing to use alcohol. Statistical
data from colleges here in the Northeast will be reviewed, including survey results from the Core Institute
and the Harvard School of Public Health Alcohol study. Method of Evaluation will be in-class participation
and the final presentation of a project aimed at educating peers.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: in-class participation and the final presentation of a project aimed at educating peers
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: permission of instructor (if overenrolled)
COST PER STUDENT: $25
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Kathy Niemeyer

Kathy Niemeyer holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Boston College and is a Licensed Mental
Health Counselor with current private practices in Williamstown and Pittsfield. She has worked in the
Fitchburg State and Stonehill College Counseling Centers and was also the AOD Prevention Program
Coordinator at Stonehill. She taught the semester-long Alcohol and Other Drugs course at Boston College and has been a regular guest lecturer at Williams.

PSYC 15 Ephquilts: An Introduction to Traditional Quiltmaking
This studio course will lead the student through various piecing, appliqué and quilting styles and techniques, with some non-traditional methods included. Samplers will be made of techniques learned, culminating in the completion of a sizeable project of the student's choosing (wall quilt or lap-size quilt). There
will be an exhibit of all work (ephquilts), at the end of winter study. "Woven" into the classes will be discussions of the history of quilting, the controversy of "art" quilts vs. "traditional" quilts, machine vs. hand-quilting and the growing quilting market. Reading list: Pieces of the Past by Nancy J. Martin; Stitching Memories:
African-American Story Quilts by Eva Ungar Grudin; Sunshine and Shadow: The Amish and Their Quilts
by Phyllis Haders; A People and Their Quilts by John Rice Irwin; Treasury of American Quilts by Cyril Nelson and Carter Houck; The Quilt: New Directions for an American Tradition, Nancy Roe, Editor. Requirements: attendance of all classes (two field trips inc), a love of fabric, design and color, an enthusiasm for
handwork, participation in exhibit. Extensive time will be spent outside of class working on assigned projects.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: attendance of all classes, two major projects, participation in exhibit
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: first seniors, then junior, soph, first years
COST PER STUDENT: $250
MEETING TIME: 1-3 p.m., MWF
INSTRUCTOR: Debra Rogers-Gillig

Debra Rogers-Gillig, one of the top quilters in New England, has been quilting for over 35 years, and
teaching classes and coordinating shows and exhibits for 30 years. She has received numerous prizes
and awards from quilt shows in New York and New England and been published in quilt magazines.

PSYC 16 The Prisoner
The US criminal justice system makes thousands of life-changing decisions every day. How does it work?
How could it be better? What does it do to prisoners? What is the point of prison? We will address these
large questions by asking more questions. Is the death penalty effective? Why are so many people incarcerated in the US? What are the major problems in our criminal justice system: racial/ethnic bias? inaccurate eyewitness testimony and false confession? torture and abuse? outdated legal procedures? juries?
perverse incentives for prosecutors, police, judges, etc? What is prison like? What effect does solitary
confinement have? What do we want prison to accomplish (prevent future crime? punishment?)? What
does it actually accomplish? Are there more effective ways of preventing recidivism (e.g., swift and sure
punishment)? What happens when an innocent person is incarcerated and an effort is made to set them
free? What is life like after prison? The students in this class will be the conductors. Students will lead discussions and help choose the readings/videos/podcasts etc. Student will be expected to do a couple of
hours of homework per day. In addition to class discussion, students will pick a specific question in consultation with the professor and write a 10-page paper about it.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 10-page final paper
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 30
METHOD OF SELECTION: randomly
COST PER STUDENT: $40
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Nate Kornell

PSYC 18 Knocking on Heaven's Door: Thanatology 101
Of the two great themes that people of all cultures have reflected upon since the dawn of time, Love and
Death, the latter has only been recently addressed in undergraduate curriculum. In this important and
ground-breaking program we will attend to central issues dealing with what it is to be aware of our mortality; the experiences of dying people; the power and consequences of death denial and death phobia in
our culture; the nature of grief and its manifestations; suicide as a choice or an act of desperation; ailing
relatives and their care-givers; end-of-life decision-making at any age; and how the health care system
does or does not meet our needs. We will explore the "death system" found in our community and hear
from active participants in this system, from the police to the EMT (Emergency Medical Technicians). We
will draw from literature, documentary, psychology, philosophy, religion, ethics, and the law. We will have
a field trip to a local funeral home. We will contemplate how the fact of our impermanence informs our
living. We will meet twice a week, Tuesday and Thursday, 1 - 3:50.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation will be based on class participation and a final project to be presented to the class
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference will be given to students who have a special interest in or experience with death and dying
COST PER STUDENT: $20
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Deborah Golden Alecson:

Deborah Golden Alecson, M.S., is a thanatologist and author who teaches, lectures, and writes about
death, dying and bereavement. Her books include \"We Are So Lightly Here: A Story about Conscious
Dying" (IntoPrint Publishing, 2014), \"Lost Lullaby" (IntoPrint Publishing, 2014), and "Complicated Grief: A
Collection of Poems" (Finishing Line Press, 2014).

PSYC 19 Psychology InternshipsWould you like to explore applications of psychology in the "real world?" This course gives students an opportunity to
work full time during winter study in a mental health, business, education, law or other setting in which psychological
theories and methods are applied to solve problems. Students are responsible for locating their own potential internships
whether in the local area, their hometowns, or elsewhere, and are welcome to contact the course instructor for suggestions
on how to do this. In any case, all students considering this course must consult with the instructor about the suitability of
the internship being considered before the winter study registration period. Please prepare a brief description of the proposed placement, noting its relevance to psychology, and the name and contact information of the agency supervisor. Before Thanksgiving break, the student will provide a letter from the agency supervisor which describes the agency, and the
student's role and responsibilities during Winter Study. Enrolled students will meet the instructor before Winter Study to
discuss matters relating to ethics and their goals for the course, and after Winter Study to discuss their experiences and
reflections. Questions may be directed to Kris Kirby at kkirby@hush.com.
Evaluation will be based on a 10-page minimum final paper summarizing the student's experiences and reflections, a
journal kept throughout the experience, and the supervisor's evaluation.
Prerequisites: approval of Kris Kirby is required.
Enrollment limit: 20.
Cost: travel expenses in some cases.
INSTRUCTOR: Amie Hane

PSYC 22 Introduction to Research in PsychologyThis course provides a research opportunity for students who want to understand how psychologists ask compelling questions and find answers about behavior. Several faculty members, whose subfields include behavioral neuroscience, cognitive psychology, social psychology, clinical psychology, developmental psychology, and the psychology of education, will
have student projects available. Since projects involve faculty research, interested students must consult with members of
the Psychology Department before electing this course.
Required activities: a minimum of 20 hours per week of research participation will be expected of each student.
Evaluation will be based on the quality of research participation, student's lab journal and either an oral presentation or a
written 10-page report of the research project.
Prerequisites: permission of instructor.
Enrollment limit: space available in faculty research labs.
Selection will be based on evaluation of departmental application and number of faculty available as mentors.
Meeting time: other.
INSTRUCTOR: Ken Savitsky

PSYC 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Psychology 493-494.INSTRUCTOR: Catherine Stroud

PUBLIC HEALTH

PHLH 12 The Human Side of Medicine and Medical Practice
In today's health care atmosphere of physician accountability, advanced medical technology, and evidence-based diagnosis, the "human side" of medical practice is often minimized or even disregarded.
Medical schools debate how or whether to emphasize this more interpersonal aspect of medicine within
their curriculums. Increasingly research shows that the combination of both perspectives--patient centered understanding and technical proficiency--leads to better diagnosis and treatment; improved patient
compliance and satisfaction; and to increased physician professional satisfaction. These positive outcomes become a powerful case for future healthcare professionals being exposed to the philosophy, understanding and concrete tools of the more human side of medical practice.
Content may include:

Definition of a "patient's story," - the bio-psycho-social-spiritual model and its value

Communication, relationships and interpersonal skills within the medical interview

Self reflection and self care for the physician

How to take a patient history; when and how to conduct an focused interview

Complicated moments during an interview

"Hot" topics within the profession; ethics and professionalism; recent public commentary about the
medical profession

METHOD OF EVALUATION: Class discussion and active student participation, practice interviewing and
problem solving role-plays, group presentation, reaction paper, final project
PREREQUISITES: None
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 14
METHOD OF SELECTION: Priority to public health concentrators and pre-med juniors and seniors
COST PER STUDENT: 100
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Sandra Goodbody, MSW, is an assistant clinical professor at George
Washington University and former Senior Program Officer at the Institute of Medicine. She has over thirty
years of experience in clinical psychotherapy private practice.

PHLH 14 The role of Epidemiology in Public Health and Evidence-Based Medicine (Same as
ANTH 14 and CHEM 12)(CANCELLED)
See under ANTH for full description

PHLH 17 Addiction Studies and Diagnosis (Same as SPEC 16)
The goal of this class is to help students develop an effective understanding of the definition, impact, and
treatment of addiction. Students will be familiarized with the DSM-5, the text used to diagnose mental
illness in the US. Students will read a history of addiction in the US and the central text of Narcotics Anonymous to understand the structure of 12 Step recovery. Speakers will tell their stories in their journey from
addiction to recovery. Students will be expected to accurately diagnose the speaker according to the criteria in the DSM-5. Finally, an extensive annotated bibliography and oral presentation will be presented in
groups at the end of the course. The course will be capped at 15 students.
Calendar of ClassesMon January 5 Introduction and Lecture on Chemical Dependency and 12 Step Counseling
Readings: Slaying the Dragon pages 1-78 Narcotics Anonymous - start readingWed January 7 "My Name is Bill W." 1st Quiz
Readings: Slaying the Dragon- pages 79-197 Narcotics Anonymous - continue readingMon January 12 Guest Speaker - 1st Presentations
Readings: Slaying the Dragon- pages 199-260 Narcotics Anonymous - continue readingWed January 14"Days of Wine and Roses" -2nd Quiz
Readings: Slaying the Dragon- pages 263- 341 -Narcotics Anonymous - continue readingMon January 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Guest speaker -Narcotics Anonymous - continue reading
Narcotics AnonymousWed January 21 Third Quiz -Readings Narcotics Anonymous - continue reading 3rd QuizMon January 26 Guest Speaker -Readings Narcotics Anonymous - finish reading (stories optional)Wed January 28 Group Presentations, evaluations and wrap up
Grading for the class
Annotated Bibliography and Oral Presentation(s) 30%
Journal entries - 1 page minimum each topic (@ 250 words) - Attend and comment on three 12 Step
meetings. Reports on three people who took the CAGE, MAST and Johns Hopkins test - one person
must `pass' one of the tests. Choices nearby are Al-Anon, OA, AA, and NA. Eight entries, 5% each, 40%
total
Attendance - 15%
Quizzes- 15%
Texts - "Slaying the Dragon: The History of Addiction Treatment and Recovery" by William White and
"Narcotics Anonymous, 6th Edition"
MEETING TIME: MW 12:30-3:30
INSTRUCTOR: Rick Berger

PHLH 23 Uncomfortable Learning: Gaudino FellowshipThe Gaudino Fund is offering Gaudino Fellowships for a group of 2 to 4 students during Winter Study 2016, based upon a
proposed domestic or foreign collaborative project to be held in the same general location, reflecting values identified in
the Gaudino Mission Statement, including separate home stays for each fellow, either joint or separate work/engagement
internships, and a structure to facilitate collaborative action and learning. The team selected will be guided and overseen
by the Gaudino Scholar who will help assure successful arrangements and will conduct appropriate preparatory discussions and follow-up sessions to optimize and help students articulate lessons learned from the overall experience.
Students teams should organize their projects around two main components: direct encounter with otherness and self-reflection. The Gaudino Board is particularly interested in projects that encourage students to confront
their own personal beliefs, values or views regarding the subject and that also develop the "habits of mind" of applying
conceptual thinking and intellectual analysis to a challenging experience. The Gaudino Board is looking for projects that
address specific intellectual problems through direct experience, undertaken preferably in a social milieu that is previously
unfamiliar or even uncomfortable to the applicant. For example, proposed projects could address issues of socioeconomic
class, race, public health, environmental degradation, religion, sexuality, violence or migration.
N.B. Although this course is housed in PHLH, projects are not limited to public health.
Each team is expected to meet with the Gaudino Scholar in September and submit their group application by October
1st. Application guidelines ca be found at http://gaudino.williams.edu/gaudino-fellowship/.The Scholar along with a group of Gaudino Trustees will pick one project to award the Gaudino Fellowship.
Projects will be evaluated on whether they do subject the students to "uncomfortable learning", i.e. having an experience
that challenges and perhaps alters one's view of what it is to live a good life and the group's commitment to incorporate
home stays as part of their project and overall experience. In fact, a home/family stay is required at the location. Simply
encountering people or cultures that differ from those of the applicant is not sufficient. We are looking for something
closer to total immersion, actually living and participating in an unfamiliar culture. The intent is to open the student to an
understanding (of both the familiar and unfamiliar) that could not be achieved otherwise.
Each student is expected to write a short (3-4 page) self-reflection before leaving for the WSP, keep a journal of their experience, as well as write a 8-10 page paper by the end of the Winter Study period reflecting on the WSP experiences and
what has possibly changed in the student's perceptions and beliefs from the opening essay. They will also meet the other
members of the team on a weekly basis during Winter Study and regularly update the Gaudino Scholar by email and/or
Skype calls. The team that receives the Gaudino Fellowship will give a brief presentation to the Board about their experience at the Board's spring meeting in April.
The team whose project is approved will receive the Gaudino Fellow designation. In addition, students on Financial Aid
will receive Gaudino funding from a minimum of 50% to a maximum of 90% of the budget for the project up to $2,500,
as determined by the Financial Aid office. No additional funding for students' projects will be provided by the College.
Students selecting this course will register for PHLH 23.
INSTRUCTOR: Lois Banta

RELIGION

REL 11 Zen Buddhism
This course is designed to provide students with an intensive experience in the study and practice of Zen
Buddhism. The explosive growth in communication technology is one of many factors that has people
searching for ways to stay grounded and to live lives of purpose. This course will teach students how to
find and keep their center ground as they go through the everyday activities of living. They will learn how
to breathe properly, something neglected in Western cultures for the most part but well known in the East.
The practice of abdominal breathing, in turn, makes it easier to get one's attention into the area of the abdomen known as the tanden(J.) or tan t'ien(C.). Proficiency in doing this provides the centering or grounding that many people wish for without knowing clearly how to achieve it. Students will also encounter the
fact that deep spiritual truth cannot be accessed through the intellect. The writings studied and the meditation methods practiced are designed to help students make contact with the foundation of life itself,
something greatly facilitated by shifting one's attention or consciousness to the tanden. As Matija
B.,'15,said in his discussion prompt for the Buddhist Meditation and Discussion Group, "It is necessary to
study and it is necessary to practice. There is no way around it." This course is based on the understanding he described so well.
Ideally, the class will have at least 4 and no more than 15 attendees. We shall meet each day from
Monday through Friday from 9am to noon. After morning tea will come chanting practice followed by at
least 2 twenty minute periods of zazen (meditation). Both koan study and sutra study will take place.
Three koans a week will be examined carefully and discussed. Zen Comments on the Mumonkan by Zenkei Shibayama will be the main text. The students will be asked to write a paragraph or two expressing
their sense of the koan. Sutra study will focus on The Diamond Sutra, one of the classic texts favored by
the zen school. Periods of zazen will take place during and after the study sections. There may also be
time devoted to the practice and study of the zen arts, particularly calligraphy and tea ceremony. Other
auxiliary readings will provide exposure to such influential teachers as D.T. Suzuki, Yasutani Roshi, and
Red Pine. The students will keep a journal in which they will document their experiences and reflections
as they study and practice shifting the center of consciousness to the tanden. At the end of the month
they will write a one to two page paper expressing their final thoughts on their experience.
The climax of this course will be a two day retreat in the style of a traditional Japanese sesshin. At some
suitable location, the students will follow a sesshin schedule from 5am - 9pm.The retreat will be a silent
one and will feature listening to an actual talk given on such a retreat by my teacher, Joshu Sasaki, Roshi.
Students will be able to provide feedback and suggest program implementations as the course proceeds.
Taking such a course in January 1970, led by Professor John Eusden, was a major turning point in my life
and I should very much like to provide such an opportunity to today's Williams' students. My begging bowl
is out, and this monk is asking for a chance to make this a part of next year's WSP.
COST TO STUDENT: $75 for retreat
INSTRUCTOR: Jim Gordon '62

Williams College, class of 1962.Then, Harvard Medical School and 36 years in practice as a physician.
After a few years as an internist came many years as a consultation psychiatrist working in general hospitals with a focus on seriously and terminally ill patients. Zen training began in 1970 and has been continued vigorously for 45 years, 7 studying with Soen Nakagawa, Roshi, and 38 studying with Joshu Sasaki,
Roshi. In 2001, I was ordained as a Buddhist monk. This long intense training allows me to provide the
students with an authentic practice opportunity. The Buddhist practice/study group that I have been leading this semester has been well received by the students, and I have little doubt that the same would be
true for this WSP course.

REL 25 Encountering the Sacred and its Forms in Buddhist in Hindu South Indian Communities
(Same as GBST 25)(There is a formal application that can be found here: application)
Prior to Winter Study during the fall semester, students are expected to meet several times for orientation
meetings and visual drawing and community art project preparation. Over Winter Break, students will be
expected to complete assigned readings, begin their sketchbooks, and write a brief paper that investigates concepts of the sacred geography at home. During the trip, students will engage is experiential
learning through observation, yoga asana practice and meditation, lecture/discussion from traditional and
modern scholars, leading art-making projects with local schools and social service communities, and
through visual and written journal reflections. DRAWING PRACTICE: Students will receive instruction in
drawing with graphite, pen and ink, and water-based color (watercolor and gouache). Students will have
a minimum of two studio classes prior to leaving for India where they will learn basic techniques and handling of the materials. We will focus on capturing quick impressions as well as developing detailed studies
that include gradations and color. We will be practicing observational drawing while working with themes
that help students develop a visual language in which to describe form as they experience it. For example
they will do a series of 360 Â5 drawings before leaving "home" that describes their experience of the horizon line with its horizontals, verticals and familiar architectural and arboreal silhouettes. Once in India we
will again do a series of horizon drawings in places that we find ourselves, and this will help us understand the degree to which this experience of horizon-even as it is foreign and mysterious to us- is common and familiar to the people we are meeting. We will be exploring religious iconography and symbolisms, the concept of boundaries, patterning, color relationships, and flatness vs volumetric space. We will
draw from paintings, sculpture, and architecture in the context of landscape, and where appropriate- we
will work interactively with drawing people. We will have extra materials and will welcome the participation
of community members and those who express an interest to join us and learn with us.
Students will be expected to complete two pages daily in their sketchbooks; it can be a combination of
visual documentation and writing. They will also be expected to participate in several drawing sessions
per week where they receive instruction and sketchbook assignments. Once a week where we critique
the work with a focus on a conceptual point of view: What are the relationships and ideas that inspire
them to draw? How do those ideas take on visual form, and how do they "function" as documentation of
experience and/or a means of communication to the viewer. The fundamental question when traveling as
an artist is realizing that you are not so much making a work about a place or a person but rather you
make the work about your experience of that place, person. In the case of iconography, we will be exploring the strangeness of style and the evolution of forms, helping us better understand what we observe. In
this way we hope to gain insight into the sacred and subtle meanings behind these forms.

KINESTHETIC YOGA ASANAS AND MEDITATION:
The yoga asana practice allows students to bring awareness to their bodies in the midst of intense intercultural experiences. In this way the yoga asana practice enacts the sacred, namely awareness and
presence, taking form in the lived experience of the body. Each asana session takes a timely theme from
our course, such as one of the five elements so important in Buddhist and Shaiva practices, and weaves
this theme into the physicality of asana practice itself, providing a kinesthetic mode of learning and knowing. We will also practice asana and pranayama (breathing) related to the sacred geography of the body
such as chakras. Our yoga classes with H.S. Arun in the will allow the opportunity to practice asana as a
way to embody the sacred as taught and practiced in the Iyengar tradition. H.S. Arun is highly skilled at
teaching all levels of student and is able to teach in English and connect to our young people. Iyengar
Yoga is known for its conscious alignment to build awareness of the physical body, breath, organs, and
subtle body. Attending public yoga asana classes allows us to participate in local life with a shared purpose. In addition to asana practice, students will learn to meditate. We will practice meditation daily.

ACADEMIC LECTURES:
Prof George Dreyfus will give an orientation to the Tibetan community in India and the Monastic life. Over
the course of six days that we will be at Sera Je monastery we will receive teachings for 1 Â½ hours daily
from our monastic teacher on Lam Rim (Stages of the Path). Topics include: Four noble truths, impermanence, calm abiding and insight meditation, aspiration to awaken for the sake of others, philosophical
view of emptiness and dependent arising, iconography and symbolism. These talks provide the context
for understanding the religious art we will be looking at, as well as philosophical views of how ultimacy
and form can be compatible. Our teacher will instruct us in the traditional conceptions of geography, how
it functions in ritual life as offerings, the significance of the four directions, the symbolism of colors, iconography of deities and mandalas and explain how they function for the practitioners. Professor Dreyfus will
provide informal talks and host discussion sessions between the monks and the students in the evenings.
In Chidambaram, our priests and familiar devotees will explain how the temple is a representation of the
human body, and how it functions as a heart for the whole world.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:
Our hosts have encouraged us to develop and bring interactive art projects to engage the communities
we visit. On our last trip, we spent time with a number of communities at each of our location. Sera
Monastery is unique among the Tibetan monasteries in exile to offer modern schooling to the monks. Our
students spent several sessions in their school supporting the young monks in their study of English. We
also spent time at a Tibetan retirement home, the monastic school, home for brain damaged children, and
a health clinic. At Chidambaram, we had multiple encounters with the temple priests, their families and
Indian patrons. We also visited a local school where we interacted with local children. In preparation for
these community visits, we will develop several participatory visual projects such as painted fabric banners. We can create these with the community members, and leave them as gifts.

Primary Texts: The Path to Enlightenment by The Dalai Lama, tr. Glenn H. Mullin. (The current Dalai Lama's
commentary on the Lam Rim, or Stages of the Path, of the Third Dalai Lama); Darshan: Seeing the Divine
Image in India by Diana Eck Course Packet. Recommended: Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar; Tibetan Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction by Matthew Kapstein; Foundations of Buddhism by Rupert Gethin; Art of
Enlightenment: A Perspective of the Sacred Art of Tibet by Yeshe De Project, Dharma Publishing; Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction by D Keown (available online); The Home of the Dancing Sivan: The
Traditions of the Hindu Temple in Chitamparam by Paul Younger; The Dance of Siva: Religion, Art and
Poetry in South India by David Smith.
PREREQUISITES: none but some experience in drawing is suggested.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: five-page paper; exhibition of drawings and sketchbooks; asana demonstration.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: Applications, Interviews, and Seniority
COST PER STUDENT: $3180 plus approx $400 out of pocket
PRELIMINARY ITINERARY:
Preparatory Meetings on Campus in the Fall Semester
Jan 4-5 Travel Williamstown-NYC-Bangalore-Sera Je Monastery
Jan 6-12 Sera Je Monastery:
Jan 13-17 Bangalore and Bellur
Jan 18 Overnight train Bangalore to Chennai Jan 19-27 Tamil Nadu and Chidambaram Temple Jan 28
Transit: Chennai- NYC - Williamstown Follow Up on Campus early in the Spring Semester
INSTRUCTORS: Georges Dreyfus, Natasha Judson and Julia Morgan-Leamon

REL 26 Explorations in Solidarity: Stories of Struggle, Resilience and Hope in Nicaragua
This course will explore the lived realities of the hemisphere's second most impoverished nation, and the
relevance of faith and religious community to the continuing struggle for social justice. Students will reflect
on these realities in the company of subsistence farmers, urban factory laborers, and leaders of grassroots organizations working for social change. The effects of free trade policies (CAFTA and FTAA) in an
increasingly globalized economy, natural disasters, and the changeable attentions of the developed world
will be explored, along with other influences - Christian, Marxist and neo-Liberal - on the material and
spiritual well-being of Nicaraguan people. In particular, the course will explore ways in which the paradigms of liberation theology and the base Christian community movement have shaped some Nicaraguans' views of the economic system and the natural environment in which they live, and some of their
traditional folkloric and contemporary artistic responses to it.
Nicaragua offers a unique lens through which to view the culture and influence of the U.S. in this hemisphere, as well as the daily struggles, the dignity, and the hope of some of its most marginalized citizens.
The experience of the course will include approximately ten days of living (with minimal amenities) with
families in a subsistence farming community. Students will also attend a number of Christian religious services, and take part in dialogues with communities in which liberation theology shapes perspectives and
daily choices. (The course is open to students of any religious background or no affiliation.) And for a portion of the course we will be joined in the experience of the course by Nicaraguan peers who are involved
in youth empowerment movements or in the midst of university education. Travels in Nicaragua will be
organized by the staff of the Escuela AsociaciÃ#n Kairos para la FormaciÃ#n, an NGO that facilitates educational programs and fosters faith-based partnerships for communities in North America and Nicaragua. Throughout, students will be invited to accompany our Nicaraguan hosts as they live their daily lives,
and to reflect on their own identities and assumptions as North American college students. The goal is to
explore the relevance of religious community to the possibilities for restorative justice, and to discover
what it would mean to shape a relationship with the people of Nicaragua according to a paradigm of solidarity - in contrast to the more familiar paradigms of charity and national self-interest.
The course will begin in Williamstown with several days of background reading (Nicaraguan history, liberation theology and current political and economic reporting), writing, and orientation. Once in Nicaragua there will be daily reflection sessions, in preparation for which students will keep a detailed personal
journal. Other requirements include attendance at several orientation sessions during the latter weeks of
the fall semester; participation in a group oral presentation to the Williams community upon return; and a
final integrative 10-page paper. As in years past, in order to get the maximum benefit from the opportunity to live among the Nicaraguans, the course will continue into the first 2 or 3 days of â€oeDead Weekâ€ ;
students will return to Williamstown on Sunday, January 31.
Conversational knowledge of Spanish is, of course, helpful; but we will be accompanied by several translators who will help to to make the experience accessible to a limited number of non-Spanish speakers as
well. Willingness to live in physically demanding situations is essential. By present estimates, the cost of
the trip to each student (including all food, lodging, round-trip travel between Williamstown and Managua,
all in-country transportation and fees) will be approximately $3,200. Students are individually responsible
for the cost of travel to Williamstown at the beginning of WSP for pre-travel orientation.
PREREQUISITES: none. Spanish is helpful, but AKF translators have made it possible to include at
least 1 or 2 non-speakers.
METHOD OF EVALUATION:10-page paper, public group presentation
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12
METHOD OF SELECTION: on the basis of interviews and written personal statements allowing me to assemble the most effective learning community.
COST PER STUDENT: $3,200
ITINERARY: Jan. 4-6 - on-campus orientation Jan. 7 - travel to Nicaragua [all dates from here on are
tentative at this point - though based on past years' experience] Jan. 8-11 - orientation, historical and
economic overview and preliminary explorations in Managua, staying at AKF center Jan. 12-20 - first
home stay (specific community to be determined over the next several months) Jan. 21 - travel Jan.
21-23 - second home stay Jan. 23-25 - retreat (at Poneloya on the Pacific coast) Jan. 26-28 - Matagalpa (focus on coffee cooperatives and fair trade) Jan. 29-30 - return to Managua for final reflection and
evaluation Jan. 31 - return to U.S.
INSTRUCTOR: Richard Spalding

REL 30 Senior Projects
An advanced course for Senior Religion majors (who are not writing theses) to
further develop their senior seminar paper into a polished 25 page research paper (which will also be the
focus of a brown-bag presentation during the Spring semester). The course will help the students with
general research methods, workshopping, paper writing, and presentation practice.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: polished 25 page paper
PREREQUISITES: Senior Religion Majors only
ENROLLMENT LIMIT:
METHOD OF SELECTION:
INSTRUCTOR: Jason Josephson

ROMANCE LANGUAGES

FRENCH

RLFR S.P. Sustaining Program for French 101-102
Students registered for 101-102 are required to attend and pass the sustaining program during the Winter
Study period. There are five 50-minute meetings per week.
Meeting time: mornings; 9-9:50 a.m.
TBA (Teaching Associates)

RLFR 11 Audible Imagination: Exploring Sound Across the Arts (Same as ARTS 11)
This is a course about sound and its relationship to the visual arts, technology and the environment. We
focus on sound art, an interdisciplinary movement that emerged from twentieth-century avant-garde
movements. The chief purpose of this course is practical: artists and non-artists will be invited to test the
boundaries between art and everyday life, between seeing and hearing, and between noise and music.
The first week reviews the fundamentals of sound production: how to make your own microphones, how
to record, and how to use basic production software. In the second week, you'll apply these production
techniques in a project of your own design. In the final week, you'll share your final project with professional sound artists who will visit and perform in our classroom. Class meets twice a week for three hours.
Work for the course includes readings (Cage, Oliveros, Schwitters, Westerkamp), weekly online postings
to the course blog, two short projects, and final sound project.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: five online posts, two short projects, and a final sound project
PREREQUISITES: none; all are welcome!
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference to Romance Language/Comp Lit. majors; students in theatre,
dance, and studio art
COST PER STUDENT: $20 for materials
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Matthew Anderson

Matt Anderson is a multimedia artist who has worked in sound, performance, and installation since 1993.
He studied at the Studio for Interrelated Media at the Massachusetts College of Art and has exhibited and
performed in venues including the Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, UK; Theater am Ring, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany; and Tmuna Theatre, Tel Aviv, Israel.

RLFR 14 Reading Texaco(CANCELLED)
In this course, we will read and analyze Patrick Chamoiseau's 400-page master novel, Texaco, which
recounts the multiple stories and histories of a squatter community in Fort-de-France, Martinique. "I
wanted it to be sung somewhere, in the ears of future generations, that we had fought with City, not to
conquer it (it was the City that gobbled us), but to conquer ourselves in the Creole unsaid which we had to
name, in ourselves and for ourselves - until we came into our own" (390). Readings will be in French or
English. Discussion in English. Open to non-speakers of French.METHOD OF EVALUATION: 10-page analytical paper.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference given to French and Africana studies majors/concentrators
COST PER STUDENT: $0
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Kashia Pieprzak

RLFR 15 Maghrebin Film: From Independence to the Arab Spring (Same as ARTS 16)(CANCELLED)
This course will provide an overview of Maghrebin cinema, since its emergence following the end of colonial occupation. At their departure, the French left behind them a filmmaking model and infrastructure,
originally established for propaganda purposes, with film studios in Morocco and Tunisia, as well as a vast
network of film clubs throughout the Maghreb. The effort to produce national films appeared slowly, initially with shorts.
Our primary texts will focus on fiction films of diverse genres: the important societal themes therein
treated will allow us to tackle key issues in Maghrebin life. Viewing films from all three countries will enable us to make comparative analyses between them. Special attention, however, will be given to Moroccan cinema; the vitality of its current production represents a remarkable turnaround from 25 years ago.
Today, Morocco produces between 20 and 25 films a year, making it, after Egypt, the second-largest,
film-producing country in Africa. We will consider and analyze the reasons behind the "Moroccan miracle," and we will discuss and evaluate the stakes in promoting a viable national cinema in the Maghreb.
Most of these filmmakers who trained in Europe or in Russia are bi-nationals. But on the advent of the
Arab Spring, Morocco has witnessed the opening of numerous film schools, thus paving the way for a truly autochthonous cinema. Finally, we will also consider the challenges of Maghrebin directors to exhibit
their films, with the number of cinema theatres ever shrinking and the competition of bootleg dvds.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 10-page paper
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: ??
METHOD OF SELECTION: ??
COST PER STUDENT: $ 200
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: Sally Shafto

Sally Shafto is a film scholar, a specialist of French and Maghrebin Film. In Morocco where she has been
teaching since 2010 she has been active in covering developments in the national cinema since the Arab
Spring.

RLFR 30 Honors Essay
To be taken by candidates for honors other than by thesis route.

RLFR 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for French 493-494.

ITALIAN

RLIT S.P. Sustaining Program for Italian 101-102
Students registered for 101-102 are required to attend and pass the sustaining program during the Winter
Study Period. Three 50-minute meetings per week.
Meeting time: mornings; 9-9:50 a.m.
NICASTRO

SPANISH

RLSP S.P. Sustaining Program for Spanish 101-102
Students registered for 101-102 are required to attend and pass the sustaining program during the Winter
Study Period. Three 50-minute meetings per week.
Meeting time: mornings; 9-9:50 a.m.
TEACHING ASSOCIATES

RLSP 16 Paraguay in Literature and Film (CANCELLED)
This course uses literature and film to explore one of Latin America's most fascinating and least understood countries: the Republic of Paraguay. We will examine classic literary texts by Augusto Roa Bastos, Rafael Barrett, and others, as well as films ranging from the Argentine-Paraguayan co-productions of the 1950s to recent works including Paz Encima's award-winning 'Hamaca Paraguaya.' We will meet for 6 hours each week for discussion; all films will be viewed outside of class. Conducted in Spanish.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Presentations, discussion-leading, extensive written work
PREREQUISITES:
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: Spanish majors will get priority
COST PER STUDENT: $150.
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Jennifer French

RLSP 25 Borderlands, Migration and Indigenous Cultures in Chiapas, Mexico (Same as ARAB 25
and COMP 26)
See under ARAB for full description

RLSP 30 Honors Essay
To be taken by candidates for honors other than by thesis route.

RLSP 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Spanish 493-494.

RUSSIAN

RUSS S.P. Sustaining Program for Russian 101-102Required of all students enrolled in Russian 101-102. Three meetings per week, 50 minutes per session.
Practice in speaking and comprehension based on material already covered as well as some new vocabulary and constructions. Designed to maintain and enhance what was acquired during fall semester, using
new approaches in a relaxed atmosphere. No homework.
Regular attendance and active participation required to earn a "Pass." Open to all.
Meeting time: mornings; 9-9:50 a.m.
TBA

RUSS 25 Williams in Georgia (Same as SPEC 24)
Williams has a unique program in the Republic of Georgia, which offers students the opportunity to engage in three-week-long internships in any field. Our students have worked in the Georgian Parliament,
helped in humanitarian relief organizations like Save the Children, interned in journalism at The Georgian
Times, taught unemployed women computer skills at The Rustavi Project, documented wildlife, studied
with a Georgian photographer, done rounds at the Institute of Cardiology, and learned about transitional
economies at the Georgian National Bank. In addition to working in their chosen fields, students experience Georgian culture through museum visits, concerts, lectures, meetings with Georgian students, and
excursions. Visit the sacred eleventh-century Cathedral of Sveti-tskhoveli and the twentieth-century Stalin Museum, take the ancient Georgian Military Highway to ski in the Caucasus Range, see the birthplace
of the wine grape in Kakheti and the region where Jason sought the Golden Fleece. Participants are
housed in pairs with English-speaking families in Tbilisi, Georgia's capital city. At the end of the course
students will write a 10-page paper assessing their internship experience. Knowledge of Russian or
Georgian is not required.
PREREQUISITES: none; not open to first-year students
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 10-page paper
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 8
METHOD FOR SELECTION: students are asked to submit a statement of interest, and interviews may be
conducted
COST PER STUDENT: $2500
INSTRUCTOR: Darra Goldstein and Noah Coburn '02

RUSS 30 Honors Project
May be taken by candidates for honors other than by thesis route.

RUSS 31 Senior Thesis
To be taken by students registered for Russian 493-494.

THEATRE

THEA 10 Life of Pie
From the origins of "four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie" in the entremets entertainments of medieval banquets, to the iconic Christmas table as set with mincemeat pies by Charles Dickens, this particular foodstuff has a storied history and potent symbolism-especially in the British and American consciousness. This course will trace the development of this ancient foodstuff using Janet Clarkson's Pie: A Global
History, supplemented by other historical and cultural readings. Paired with this we will examine how the
pie has been represented artistically, from the critique "American as mom and apple pie" establishment
culture in Gary Ross's film Pleasantville, to the cannibalism of the meat pies in Stephen Sondheim's
Sweeney Todd and Shakespeare's Coriolanus.
But primarily we will bake pies. Lots of pies: sweet and savory, all from scratch. We will learn the basics of
making pastry crusts, filling preparation, assembly, decoration, baking and final presentation. Students will
be expected to document their process-and the resulting pies-on a class blog. Recipes used will draw
inspiration from history, novels and film, culminating in a banquet of sweet and savory pies at which we
will show off our baking prowess to friends and colleagues.
Class will meet in the afternoons, 6-9 hours/week for discussion, kitchen sessions, and food tasting. An
additional 8-12 hours/week of work outside of class should be expected, to include reading, film watching, and food preparation.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: students will be evaluated on overall class participation, homework, and involvement in the planning and execution of the final banquet during the last week of the course
PREREQUISITES: no prior cooking experience is necessary, though some knowledge is helpful and a
desire to learn is mandatory
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: if overenrolled, selection will be based on a short essay and background
COST PER STUDENT: approximately $150 for books and reading packets, cooking supplies and ingredients
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: David Gurcay-Morris

THEA 12 Revision in Theatre: Princess Ivona
In this course students will have the opportunity to work as an ensemble on the revival of "Princess Ivona." After a successful production of the play at Williams, the cast (including both former members as well
as newcomers) will prepare a version of the show to be presented in New York City. Students will refine
their skills in the reparatory style by developing their characters and adjusting their work to a new venue.
The class includes discussions, rehearsals, research, and theatrical exploration in a rehearsal room at
Williams. When the class concludes the show will be rehearsed with tech and performed in the city. This
theatrical experience provides students with an opportunity to share their talents beyond the college and
engage with the professional environment of the theatre district.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: final presentation
PREREQUISITES: preference given to original cast members
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 30
METHOD OF SELECTION: auditions and/or permission of instructor (auditions waived for previous cast
members)
COST PER STUDENT: $300
MEETING TIME: other; detailed schedule of rehearsals TBD
INSTRUCTORS: Omar Sangar, Pablo Aran Gimeno and Jorge Puerta Armenta

Pablo Aran Gimeno and Jorge Puerta Armenta are dancers from the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch,
a German dance company founded in 1973 by Pina Bausch, and recognized as one of the most influential and prestigious companies in the world of performing arts. Their contribution as co-teachers will provide our students with a world-class experience in physical theatre. The collaboration between our students and these two remarkable choreographers in "Princess Ivona" at Williams proved to be very
successful and our students expressed great enthusiasm and interest in continuing to work with Pablo
and Jorge.
Bios:
Pablo Aran Gimeno: choreographer, dancer, and educator. A member of Pina Bausch Company. First
achieved prominence in ballroom dance, gaining international acclaim in the 10-Dance style. Later he
studied in Barcelona and Madrid, where he developed a deeper expertise in Contemporary Dance, Classical Dance, and Contact Improvisation through his work at the Royal Conservatory.
Jorge Puerta Armenta: choreographer, dancer, and educator. Worked with the Folkwang Tanz Studio in
Essen for seven months until he was asked to join Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. Jorge has
created numerous dance and theatre works internationally including: At 17 Centimeters (Germany, 2013),
The Silence Falls From the Trees (Colombia, 2012), Nothing Unusual (Germany, 2014), and Look (Germany, 2014).

THEA 15 Plays For The Festival And Beyond
In 2014, Mandy Greenfield assumed the artistic directorship of WTF. With a strong background in commissioning, developing and producing new plays, Mandy will be working with several living playwrights
leading up to the Festival in 2016. Actress and teacher Jessica Hecht will oversee a developmental workshop of 2 scripts by playwrights actively working with WTF. These workshops will offer students the
chance to act, direct and dramaturge in collaboration with the playwright and director. Jessica will begin
the project with a 2 day acting workshop on the performer's role in the development of new plays. The
class will then start work on the scripts with the guidance of the writer and a director. We will incorporate a
3 day trip to NYC where Mandy will teach the principles of producing and new play development from the
vantage of a non profit artistic director. Students will see two new plays in the evenings and culminate in a
reading of the 2 plays they've helped to develop. This project was initiated by Jessica at NYU where she
teaches in the Experimental Theatre Wing and carried out on commissions for the Manhattan Theatre
Club, The Public and the Vineyard with writers including Adam Rapp, Liz Flahive and Jenny Schwartz.
The 2014-15 Winter Study offered a pilot of this project and it was wonderfully effective for the playwright
and directors involved. Students will be expected to read both WTF plays and at least one other play from
those writers in advance of the start date. Outside class, students will be required to rehearse scenes and
read newly generated material. Acting in the final reading is not required but students must be open to
reading in class. Jessica's work includes many Broadway plays including the upcoming Fiddler On The
Roof , the new plays of Sarah Ruhl, Richard Greenberg and Diana Son, and the tv series Breaking Bad
and Friends. Before joining WTF, Mandy was Artistic Producer of The Manhattan Theatre Club; she currently sits on the board of the Drama League and is a member of the Broadway League.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: full contribution to the performance/final presentation of at least one play as
either an actor or a dramaturg
PREREQUISITES: 2 semesters of theatre - performance preferred but not required
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 16
METHOD OF SELECTION: students screened through a letter of interest and resume
COST PER STUDENT: $300. (can be altered if too steep-will in no way exceed 300)- fee used for trip to
NYC plays/housing/transport included
MEETING TIME: other; we will attempt to stick to an all day Monday (6 hr) seminar, 4 hours Tuesday beginning at 10 am. NYC will likely be Sunday to Tuesday the final week (Jan. 24-26).
INSTRUCTOR: Jessica Hecht

Jessica Hecht is a Tony award nominated actress known for originating characters in several new
plays on Broadway and off. She teaches at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and this summer will spend her
9th season at the Williamstown Theatre Festival

THEA 32 Senior Honors Thesis
See description of Degree with Honors in Theatre.

WOMEN'S, GENDER AND SEXUALITY STUDIES

WGSS 13 Germs, Aliens, and Zombies: Imagining Apocalypse in Film and Literature (Same as
AMST 13 and ANTH 13)
See under ANTH for full description

WGSS 16 Feminism(s) on Campus: Where are We Now? (Same as ENGL 16)(CANCELLED)
See under ENGL for full description

WGSS 25 Creating Social Enterprises with Marginalized Ugandan Youth
I propose to build on the success of a series of WSP trips to Uganda that have worked with Ugandan
youth and grassroots activists to build their capacity, and latterly to seed and continue to support small
social enterprises. This time, as in 2015, I would like to take a relatively small group of 8 students and
work with two Ugandan co-leaders instead of a co-leader from Williams College. As in 2015 our group
will work in pairs with pairs of Ugandan youth to develop proposals for small businesses to be run as
worker-owned partnerships within a network of support, and end by choosing two proposals to fund with
start-up loans and provide with mentoring and support. As always, this work will be occur in a context of
reflection and conversation about the challenges and possibilities of cross-cultural development work and
work with marginalized populations.
These projects will build on the work I, in some cases with Jonathan Morgan-Leamon, justin adkins, Kenda Mutongi, and other US and UK-based co-leaders, have been doing since 2006. I have taken groups
of students to Uganda, Senegal and Tanzania to do capacity-building work in different ways with grassroots activists fighting HIV/AIDS, poverty, and marginalization of vulnerable groups. These trips give the
Williams students exposure to a variety of experiences, including the chance to learn about activism and
about the lives of HIV positive youth in resource-poor settings, by living and working alongside them, as
well as the opportunity to develop teaching plans, conduct lessons, and partner on a significant project in
a cross-cultural setting. The trips typically use a "˜train the trainers" approach to strengthen the capacity
of local activists not only to use skills such as video and computer competence -- up to and including
website development -- in their own work, but to teach those skills to other youth in their community and
work together to build continuing networks of support. In Uganda we have now built a network of youth,
supporting them with trainings and material resources to create their own computer training centers, internet cafes, and other kinds of small social enterprises.
In 2015 we shifted our focus from teaching computer skills to incubating small businesses to be run as
partnerships by pairs of marginalized youth. We spent a week all together in Kampala doing a small business training. Then the Williams students worked in pairs with pairs of Ugandan youth to create proposals
for new businesses. Some of these small groups stayed in Kampala with me, others moved to the home
locations of their Ugandan partners along with an older Ugandan co-leader. In the final week we regrouped. After everyone presented their proposals we chose two to fund with a zero-interest startup loan.
We also identified mentors to continue to work with the fledgling businesses after our departure. In 2016
we want to follow the same model, building on and strengthening what we have created.
This approach comes from the realization that grassroots activism is usually done most effectively by
those who live inside the community in question and are themselves intimately affected by the issues.
When it comes to HIV Uganda now has a generation of youth who have grown up with the virus, including
many who were born HIV+ and have reached adulthood thanks to the availability of antiretroviral drugs.
Now in their teens and twenties, these youth have become, or are becoming sexually active and often
want to have children of their own. They are crucial actors in the future of the pandemic, whether it will
become more deeply entrenched in intergenerational cycles of stigma, poverty and inequality or communities will be able to lift themselves out of those spirals. When supported and mobilized positive youth
make extraordinary activists. Yet many of them find themselves isolated and stigmatized, unable to disclose their status to friends, colleagues or teachers, or find support from other youth in similar situations.
Other groups of youth find themselves marginalized because of their sexual orientation or gender expression: these young people are often thrown out of families, schooling, and employment and left few alternatives to sex work and chaotic, unstable living situations, putting them at high risk for HIV.
When these affected actors become activists they can be very powerful, but given their marginal economic status they are usually extremely dependent on outside funding. Without that they lack the resources
even to take public transport to attend meetings or go out into the community to do sensitization or advocacy. Their activist work becomes dependent on funding cycles and the whims and fashions of the donor
community, a dependency that can spawn jealousy, distrust and corruption among youth who need to
work together. The idea we are now working with, then, is to collaborate with these youth to create a network of small social enterprises that train the activists in income-generating skills, empower them to work
together more effectively in small groups, and use some of that income to fund their own continuing activism.
We will be continuing to work with three national networks based in Kampala, as well as a number of
small grassroots groups, to identify the young activists who will work with us to develop business proposals. These dynamic nationwide networks work to empower, do advocacy, and build the capacity of small
grassroots organizations across Uganda. The benefit of working with such networks as well as my other
local contacts is that they give us great flexibility in responding to last-minute contingencies. If events inside or near Uganda make a particular planned destination unsuitable, we are able to respond up until the
late fall by changing location.
Kiaran Honderich is a lecturer in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies and has taken numerous travel
WSP classes to Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda to do capacity building work with grassroots activists.
Proscovia Namakula is the National Coordinator of the Global Coalition of Women against AIDS in Uganda, and a lecturer at Kampala International University. Henry Kizito is the Executive Director of Kafophan
Kalangala, a dynamic grassroots group fighting HIV on the Ssese Islands of Lake Victoria.
Below is the list of readings in the 2015 WSP reading packet:
General
Luganda Phrasebook
Philip Curtin et al, "Political Culture and Political Economy in Early East Africa" Graham Connah, "Bananas and Cattle" Marq de Villiers and Sheila Hirtle, "The Baganda Kings"
HIV/AIDS
Helen Epstein, "God and the Fight Against AIDS" Parliament of Uganda, "New HIV Prevalence Rates
Alarming" Shanti Parikh, "Going Public: Modern Wives, Men's Infidelity, and Marriage in East- Central
Uganda" Population Council, "Special Needs of in-School HIV+ Young People in Uganda" Population
Council et al, "Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of Adolescents Perinatally Infected with HIV in
Uganda" Reuters, "World Bank Reassesses Uganda Aid After Graft Allegations"
LGBTQ
Kapya John Kaoma, "Colonizing African Values" Sylvia Tamale, "A Human Rights Impact Assessment of
the Ugandan Anti- Homosexuality Bill, 2009"
Cooperatives
Jessica Gordon Nembhard, "Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic
Thought and Practice", Introduction Herment Mrema, "Uganda: Starting All Over Again" "" from Cooperating Out of Poverty.
PREREQUISITES: none
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 10-page paper, participation throughout
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 8
METHOD FOR SELECTION: application form and interview
COST PER STUDENT: $3856
INSTRUCTOR: Kiaran Honderich

WGSS 31 Honors Project
See description of Degree with Honors in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies.

SPECIALS

SPEC 11 Science for Kids (Same as CHEM 11)(CANCELLED)
See under CHEM for full description

SPEC 15 Peer Support TrainingAre you the person your friends turn to for support? Good listening and communication skills are of benefit to everyone, but particularly for student leaders and those interested in the helping professions. This course will prepare you to be a better listener and more effective, confident communicator. You will learn how to help others feel more at ease with social, academic, and personal relationships, assist others in making decisions without resorting to giving advice, and how to manage more urgent situations. You will learn how to communicate about sensitive issues and find your own style in helping roles. Emphasis will be given to learning one’s limits within a given situation, knowing when to refer to other resources, and resources available to students. These broadly applicable helping skills are essential to optimum performance in roles such as with Peer Health, NLT, or JA.
We will meet twice a week for 3 hour sessions. This is an experiential training augmented by relevant readings and out of class assignments designed to deepen your understanding and practice of communication and helping skills.
REQUIREMENTS: Evaluation is based on participation, attendance, and the option of a 10-page paper or final project
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 18PREFERENCE: first-years and sophomores, then juniors, then seniors
COST: none
MEETING TIME: afternoons
INSTRUCTOR: KAREN THEILING (ktheilin@williams.edu)
SPONSOR: ANGIE MARANO

Karen Theiling is a psychotherapist at Williams College Psychological Counseling Services and a licensed mental health counselor in private practice in Northampton, MA. She has led a variety of psychosocial, educational and mindfulness groups at Williams and in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts.

SPEC 16 Addiction Studies and Diagnosis (Same as PHLH 17) See under PHLH for full description

SPEC 17 Entrepreneurship and Building a High Performing Organization
The course will focus on entrepreneurship and the critical success factors for building rapidly growing and
high-performing organizations that are built to last. Students will meet in class for 8 hours/week and do
significant development of their own program outside of class. There will be an emphasis on the process
of building an organization from concept to delivery, with study of success stories and cautionary tales.
Key elements of the curriculum will include market research, strategic
planning, project planning, employee selection, performance management, as well as process design and
improvement. Development of the skills necessary to build a program will be the focal point.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: final project--development of student's own high performing organization.
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 20
METHOD OF SELECTION: email application
COST PER STUDENT: 0
MEETING TIME: other
INSTRUCTOR: Dan Walsh

Dan Walsh
is a serial entrepreneur who has started and successfully built a
number of successful companies in the technology, technology services and nonprofit industries. Each of
the companies that Dan has founded and led, including Darwin Partners, the Stowe Group, and Front
Four, have scaled from pure start-ups to large scale national providers of technology services, employing
hundreds of employees and collectively serving more than 200 of the Fortune 500 hundred companies
across the U.S.

SPEC 18 Why Liberal Arts? A Gateway to Career Discovery(CANCELLED)
Career exploration for students pursuing a liberal arts course of study must understand how their academic work links to post graduate opportunity. It is not a simple matter of asking "What can I do with a
major in __________?" Rather, it is a complex understanding of how a liberal course of study can lead to
any pursuit once a goal is well defined. Translating the value of the liberal arts experience to real world
applications is a skill that must be learned. This course aims to help instruct students to be skilled translators. The course will be a general introduction to the career discovery process, to include self-assessment exercises, instruction on researching career options, practice in resume and cover letter writing,
mock interviews, networking assignments, professional etiquette training, and presentation skills. Guest
speakers will be invited to present on key topics of
etiquette, assessment, and presentation skills. The course will include classroom presentations on concepts critical to the student's discovery of potential career paths. By the end of the course, the student
will have created a personal profile, a professional resume, five networking sessions, and applications to
several internships or post-grad job opportunities, and will have a thorough understanding of the resources available to him/her at Williams to continue the process once the course is completed. The student will also have a nuanced understanding of how well their liberal arts course of study fits into the
world of work.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 5-page paper, completion of assignments throughout course (resume, self-assessments, networking notes)
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 50
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference will be given to first-year students
COST PER STUDENT: 0
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTOR: Mike O'Connor

Mike O'Connor is Director of the Career Discovery Program

SPEC 19 Medical ApprenticeshipFirsthand experience is a critical component of the decision to enter the health professions. Through this apprenticeship, students can clarify their understanding of the rewards and challenges that accompany the practice of all types of medicine. Apprenticeships are arranged in two distinct ways: some students live on campus and are matched with a local practitioner, while others make independent arrangements to shadow a distant professional. The expectation is that each student will observe some aspect of medicine for the better part of the day, five days per week. In recent years, students have shadowed physicians, veterinarians, dentists, nurses, and public health experts. A 5-page reflective paper is required, as is attendance (for those shadowing near campus) at three Monday evening programs. Students will meet from 6:00-8 p.m. over dinner to hear from invited speakers from the medical community as a stimulus to discussion about their apprenticeship experiences.
Prerequisites: interested students must attend an information meeting in late September. Local enrollment is limited by the number of available practitioners. Preference for placements will be given on the basis of seniority and demonstrated interest in the health professions. Cost: local apprenticeships: required vaccinations, local transportation and possibly lunches. Distant apprenticeships: costs will vary based upon location.
Instructors: Steven Anisman, M.D.; Childsy Art, M.D.; Trevor Bayliss, M.D.; Jonathan Cluett, M.D.; Lee Delaney, D.V.M.; Marianne Demarco, M.D.; Michael DiSiena. D.O.; Paul Donovan, M.D.; Simon Drew, M.D.; Stuart Duboff, M.D.; Lixia Ellis, M.D.; Christian Galvez, M.D.; Wade Gebara, M.D.; Marie George, M.D., David Gorson, M.D.; Anping Han, M.D.; Eric Holmgren, D.D.S./M.D.; Orion Howard, M.D.; Laura Jones, D.V.M.; Joshua Kleederman, D.M.D.; Kristin LaMontagne, M.D.; William Levy, M.D.; Dedrick Luikens, M.D.; Marian Madden, M.D.; Marie Madsen, D.O.; Tony Makdisi, M.D.; Rebecca Mattson, D.V.M.; Mark McDermott, M.D.; Ronald Mensh, M.D.; Charles O'Neill, M.D.; Judy Orton, M.D.; Malcolm Paine, M.D.; Priscilla Paiva, M.D., Daniel Perregaux, M.D.; Fernando Ponce, M.D.; Daniel Robbins, M.D.; Oscar Rodriguez, M.D.; Scott Rogge, M.D.; Paul Rosenthal, M.D.; Kimberley Sampson, M.D.; Themarge Small, M.D.; Matthew Stanishewski, D.O.; Ann Marie Swann, M.D.; Elizabeth Whateley, M.D.; James Whittum, M.D.; Katie Wolfgang, D.V.M.; Nicholas Wright, M.D.; Jeffrey Yucht, M.D.; Mark Zimpfer, M.D.; and others.
ADJUNCT INSTRUCTOR: JANE CARY, Health Professions Advisor

SPEC 21 Experience the Workplace; an Internship with Williams Alumni/Parents
Field experience is a critical element in the decision to enter a profession. Through this internship, students can clarify their understanding of the rewards and challenges that accompany the practice of many
different aspects within a profession, and understand the psychology of the workplace. Internship placements are arranged through the Career Center, with selected alumni and parent acting as on-site teaching associates. The expectation is that each student will observe some aspect of the profession for the
better part of the day, five days per week. It is also expected that the teaching associate will assign a specific project to be completed within the three-to-four week duration of the course depending upon appropriateness.
Participation in this winter study will require the student to quickly assess the work environment, make
inferences about corporate culture, performance norms and expectations, and to take initiative not only to
learn from this experience, but also to contribute where and when appropriate. Understanding the dynamics within a work environment is critical to success in any organization and this hands-on experience
will illuminate lessons learned in the classroom. Upon completion of the winter study, it is expected that
the student write a thorough report evaluating and interpreting the experience.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: It is expected that students will complete assigned readings, keep a daily
journal, and write a 5-10 page expository review and evaluation that will become public record as a resource for other students. The expectation is that each student will be in the field to observe some aspect
of the profession for the better part of the day, five days per week. In addition to observation there may
be an opportunity to work on distinct projects generated by the instructor depending upon appropriateness.
PREREQUISITES: interested students must attend an information meeting in early October, and meet
individually with Career Center staff to go over the details of their placements.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: Enrollment is limited by the number of available teaching associates (instructors).
METHOD OF SELECTION: Placements will be determined by the individual alum or parent sponsor
based on application and possible telephone interview.
MEETING TIME: each student will be in the field to observe some aspect of the profession five days per
week, at least 6 hours per day.
COST PER STUDENT: Local apprenticeships - local transportation. Distant apprenticeships - costs will
vary based upon location, BUT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STUDENT. The college has no
extraordinary funding to support the internship.
TEACHING ASSOCIATES (instructors): Williams College alumni and parents of current Williams students
will be recruited to become instructors for this course. A broad range of professions will be represented
as the course develops. Alumni and parents will receive individual orientations with the course director in
person or via telephone conference.
INSTRUCTOR: Dawn Dellea, Manager of Alumni and Parent Engagement Programs

SPEC 24 Williams in
Georgia (Same as RUSS 25)
See under RUSS for full description

SPEC 25 The Food Workforce: Learning and Labor in the Vermont Food System
This weeklong course is a farm-based experiential residency that pairs studying food systems with the hands-on work of running a small farm in Vermont in the winter. The course will take the topic of labor and work and look at it through the lens of the Vermont food system. The curriculum will include analysis of fair labor practices, the migrant workers on dairy farm, and hiring and organizational learning at small farms. The hands-on education at Green Mountain Girls Farm will include learning about livestock via morning chores, winter vegetable production in high tunnels, meat cutting and processing in the farm’s food processing room and kitchen. Students will also share in the cooking of meals for the group.
Green Mountain Girls Farm is a diversified farm six miles from the center of Northfield, Vermont offering immersive educational experiences. The farmers, Mari Omland ’89 and Laura Olsen, raise vegetables and cut flowers, dairy goats, pigs, and laying hens. They preserve food on the farm and offer cooking classes using farm-raised food. The Green Mountain Girls Farm business plan emphasizes the intersection of sustainable agriculture and sustainable tourism, and the farm features spacious renovated barns and houses for guests and an educational kitchen space.
Green Mountain Girls Farm is designed to be a working farm with an experiential purpose.
The residency at Green Mountain Girls Farm will last one week, from Monday January 18 – Monday January 25. We will meet twice before leaving and twice after returning to campus. Readings focus on food systems, the food system workforce, and the impact of those workers and state policies on local Vermont economies.
PREREQUISITES: none
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Two 2-page papers and one research project with presentation.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 9
METHOD OF SELECTION: Students with a demonstrated interest in agriculture, food production, and
labor issues, and food policy will be given preference. This interest can be demonstrated in terms of work
experience or coursework.
COST PER STUDENT: $1,081.36
ITINERARY: Monday, January 11: pre-departure meeting one Friday January 15: pre-departure meeting
two Monday, January 18 to Monday, January 25: residency at farm Tuesday, January 26: post-departure
meeting one Thursday January 28: post-departure meeting two
INSTRUCTORS: Mike A. Evans,Assistant Director Zilkha Center and Mari Omland `89

SPEC 27 Sustainable Agriculture at Caretaker Farm (Same as GERM 27)
Sustainable agriculture is not simply a method for growing vegetables, but rather the management of dozens of systems on a farm that lead to long term health. Caretaker Farm has been striving towards sustainability since the early 1970s. It was one of the first Community Supported Agriculture farms in the US
and has evolved into a source of extraordinary produce, beauty, abundance, and profound community for
over 270 families that visit the farm each week. Students will experience life on the farm and participate
in the winter chores of animal care and winter vegetable production. Much of our time together will involve discussions on some of the systems that support the overall farm's health including renewable energy, winter growing techniques, crop planning, use of cover crops and other soil building practices, farm
preservation and homesteading skills. There will be required reading assignments, required recordings,
and a field trip to an urban homestead in Springfield, MA. Caretaker Farm is located 7 miles from Williams so transportation arrangements are required.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation will be based on a journal, two short essays, attendance, and
participation
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 10
METHOD OF SELECTION: seniority
COST PER STUDENT: $67.95; students are expected to have appropriate outdoor gear for winter conditions
MEETING TIME: mornings
INSTRUCTORS: Don Zasada and Bridget Spann

Don Zasada, co-owner of Caretaker Farm, was the Director of Agriculture at The Food Project for 7 years
before coming to farm in Williamstown in 2005. He has been a board member for Northeast Organic
Farming Association(NOFA) of Massachusetts and presented workshops at a variety of institutions and
organizations including Williams College, MCLA, NOFA Massachusetts, NOFA New York, NOFA Vermont,
and the Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture.
Bridget Spann, co-owner of Caretaker Farm, worked with the group of community members dedicated to
preserving Caretaker Farm in perpetuity. This group finished its work with the farm transfer in 2006, and
the successful Campaign for Caretaker Farm fundraising effort. She is in charge of food preservation,
and planning educational and community events for Caretaker Farm. Bridget and Don also homeschool
their two children.

SPEC 28 Class of 1959 Teach NYC Urban Education Program Students in this course learn about the front-line challenges of urban public education by working in one of New York
City's public schools. Participants will be expected to pursue a full day's program of observing, teaching, tutoring and
mentoring in their choice of more than 20 different school situations from elementary through high school. Each of the
participating schools will have a resident supervisor who will meet with the January interns to arrange individual schedules and provide mentoring during the month. There will be weekly seminar meetings of all the interns who are expected
to participate in group discussions, keep a journal and write a 5 page paper reflecting upon their experience. The course
will conduct orientation meetings with students prior to January, matching each student's interest with appropriate teaching subject areas and a host school. Dormitory-style housing will be provided along with some assistance with transportation and food costs-estimated at $400 for the term. Further assistance is available for financial aid students.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: evaluation will be based on a journal and a 5-page paper.
PREREQUISITES: sophomore, junior or senior standing; not open to first-year students.
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 12.
COST PER STUDENT: $400.
MEETING TIME:off-campus fieldwork: daily 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and weekly seminar dinners.
INSTRUCTOR: TRACY FINNEGAN
Sponsor: WINTER STUDY COMMITTEE

Tracy Finnegan is a master's level teacher with training and teaching experience in a variety of approaches and settings.

SPEC 35 Making Pottery on the Potter's Wheel
Each class will begin with a lecture-demonstration, followed by practice on the potter's wheel. Each student will have the use of a potter's wheel for every class. Pottery making classes will be held in the mornings, 9 AM to 12:15 PM, at Oak Bluffs Cottage Pottery in Pownal, Vermont. We will work on mugs, bowls,
pitchers, plates, jars, lids, vases, and bottles, and will finish these shapes as required by trimming and
adding handles, lugs, lids, spouts, and knobs. We will also work on several different handbuilding projects. Early in the Winter Study Session there will be a 1.5-hour slide presentation held one afternoon at a
location on campus. After the tenth pottery making class meeting, all completed work will be biscuit-fired.
The eleventh meeting will be devoted to glazing your biscuited pieces. Glazing techniques will include
pouring, dipping, layering, brushing, and stamping, and using wax resist and other masking techniques to
develop pattern and design. The completed work will then be glaze-fired. The last meeting, held at Oak
Bluffs Cottage Pottery early in the new semester, will be devoted to a "final project (positive-orientation)
critique" in the studio of your finished work. Woven into lecture-demonstrations will be presentations on
various topics relating to the science and history of pottery making.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: attendance at all class sessions and enthusiasm for learning the craft of pottery making.
PREREQUISITES: none; no opotterymaking experience necessary. Enrollment limit: 9.COST PER STUDENT: $345 lab fee, plus makeup class fees ($52.00 per class) if applicable. No makeup
class fee charged for excused absence.
Meeting times: mornings 9 AM-12:15 PM, plus one afternoon powerpoint slide presentation, and one final
1-hour critique session early in the spring semester at times to be arranged.
INSTRUCTOR: RAY BUB
SPONSOR: WINTER STUDY COMMITTEERay Bub is a ceramic artist and teacher at Oak Bluffs Cottage
Pottery in Pownal, Vermont, 10 minutes north of the Williams College campus. All class meetings except
the slide show take place at Oak Bluffs Cottage Pottery. Learn more about Ray Bub at www.raybub.com

SPEC 39 "Composing A Life:" Finding Success and Balance in Life After Williams
To be at Williams you have learned to be a successful student, but how do you learn to be successful in
life? How will you define success in both your career and in your personal life? How will you achieve balance between the two? In short, what will constitute the "good life" for you? We borrow the concept of
"composing a life" from Mary Catherine Bateson, as an apt metaphor for the ongoing process of defining
success and balance in life. This course is designed: (1) To offer college students an opportunity to examine and define their beliefs, values, and assumptions about their future personal and professional lives
before entering the "real" world; (2) To encourage students to gain a better understanding of how culture,
ideology, and opportunity affect their life choices; (3) To provide an opportunity for students to consider
different models of success and balance through "living cases" (in the form of guests from various professions and lifestyles); and (4) To aid students in contemplating their own life/career options through individual advising and introducing various career and life planning resources. Using selected readings, cases,
and guest speakers, we will explore both the public context of the workplace as well as the private context
of individuals and their personal relationships in determining life choices.
Requirements: regular attendance, class participation, field interview, and a 10-page final paper
Weekly assignments include cases and readings from a variety of related fields, and some self-reflection
exercises
No prerequisites. Questions about the course: please contact Michele Moeller Chandler at (413)
822-1788 or michele.chandler2@gmail.comMETHOD OF EVALUATION: 10-page paper
PREREQUISITES: none
ENROLLMENT LIMIT: 15
METHOD OF SELECTION: preference to juniors and seniors
COST PER STUDENT: approximately $35-40 for reading materials and cases
MEETING TIME: mornings
ADJUNCT BIO: Michele Moeller Chandler (`73) and Chip Chandler (`72) have taught this Winter Study
course for the past nineteen years. They have been both personally and professionally engaged in the
course topic. Michele, a former college administrator, has an M.A. from Columbia, and a Ph.D. from
Northwestern. Chip, a retired McKinsey senior partner, has an M.B.A. from Harvard, and currently
teaches in the Leadership Studies Program.
INSTRUCTORS: Michele Moeller Chandler and Chip Chandler